According to the latest quarterly report from analysis firm Infonetics Research, worldwide sales of wireless LAN equipment, including independent and dependent access points and WLAN switches and controllers, reached $1.9 billion in 2007, up 20% from 2006. The report cites the increased rollout of enterprise wireless LANs and an increase in upgrades to 802.11n as part of the increase.

The report also showed a jump in sales of enterprise single-mode Wi-Fi phones; sales were up 61% in 2007, due to increased adoption of wireless VoIP throughout the enterprise market.

“Wireless LAN is becoming an increasingly ubiquitous technology and is commonly embedded into laptops, PDAs, phones, game consoles and media adapters. Its widespread availability, affordability, flexibility and usage will make it an important technology even as other high-speed wireless technologies like 3.5G and mobile WiMAX come to the fore,” said Richard Webb, directing analyst for wireless and mobile devices at Infonetics Research, in a statement. “Additionally, Wi-Fi-enabled smartphones like the iPhone and RIM's Wi-Fi Blackberry will significantly increase Wi-Fi hotspot traffic. In January 2008, AT&T, which offers the iPhone in the United States, took over Starbucks' hotspots from T-Mobile, giving this segment an injection of fresh stimulus.”