Synergy: Voice to Drive Wireless Adoption

The potential for mobility in voice over Wi-Fi networks will drive demand for the technology, according to Synergy Research.

The Phoenix-based firm projects that the voice over wireless LAN (VoWLAN) market will reach $20 million by the end of 2004, and surpass $30 million by 2007. Growth will be fueled by demand from enterprise verticals such as health care, retail and manufacturing, where mobility is key, said Synergy analyst Aaron Vance.

There, are of course, problems with using wireless LANS for packetized voice data, namely limited bandwidth and network latency. The upcoming 802.11e standard will add quality of service (QoS), which will prioritize traffic on the network so that data gives way to voice packets. Some companies simply can't wait, though.

Health care is one area where voice is "business critical," Vance said. "Doctors and nurses typically aren't at a desk, but they need to have access to certain resources and other people need to have access to them. They're willing to deal with the pains of early adoption because it's so vital to their business."

The two biggest players in the market are SpectraLink and Symbol, who have partnered with private branch exchange (PBX) vendors to sell their products. Cisco, Motorola, Telesym and Vocera are also working on products.

Vance suggested that "soft phone" products, such as Telesym's software that converts a Pocket PC into a voice device, might be a cost-effective interim solution for an enterprise since most mobile workers already have PDAs. Specialized handsets from SpectraLink and Symbol can run $500 and up. However, such handsets tend to offer more features than the so-called soft phones, Vance said.

Overall, Wi-Fi-based phone systems are typically less expensive and easier to install than wired ones. "I think voice is going to be a major driver for the adoption of wireless in enterprises going forward," said Vance.