Wireless Standards Cause Confusion
Posted: 22nd Aug, 2005 By: MarkJ
New research from Tatara Systems into the business usage of wireless data communications (Wi-Fi etc.) has found a growing confusion over the various different standards. Unsurprisingly Wi-Fi remains much more popular than 3G for data use:
The survey has revealed that most users do not understand the differences between 3G, GPRS and Wi-Fi; that Wi-Fi use through hotspots is more popular than Wi-Fi use at home, and that laptop users buy coffee just so they can access hotspots.
The survey of over 100 laptop owners was carried out in the City of London between 10 July and 22 July 2005.
When asked about how they access data when on the move, only two per cent of the users surveyed that accessed mobile data used laptops with 3G services; 14 percent used Blackberry devices, 10 percent used other PDAs and the majority (75 percent) used wireless-enabled laptops at public Wi-Fi hotspots.
Over half (58 per cent) of the Wi-Fi users surveyed admitted that they went to outlets and bought food and drink, just so they could access Wi-Fi hotspots - Starbucks was the location named by the most respondents.
The survey also found that most users of Wi-Fi use it at public hotspots, with wireline broadband connections still the most popular connection at home. Two thirds of those questioned have broadband in their home, but only a fifth of those use Wi-Fi access at home.
The respondents who use public hotspots were asked how often they do so, and 20 per cent said they used Wi-Fi once a month, 40 per cent used Wi-Fi once a week, 20 per cent used Wi-Fi several times a week, and 10 per cent used public Wi-Fi every day. 56 per cent of these would go out of their way to use a free service.
Only one in twenty respondents said that they understood the difference between Wi-Fi, 3G and GPRS.
This will hardly come as a shock and the research didnt even include the various other wireless standards, such as WiMAX and Bluetooth etc.
The survey has revealed that most users do not understand the differences between 3G, GPRS and Wi-Fi; that Wi-Fi use through hotspots is more popular than Wi-Fi use at home, and that laptop users buy coffee just so they can access hotspots.
The survey of over 100 laptop owners was carried out in the City of London between 10 July and 22 July 2005.
When asked about how they access data when on the move, only two per cent of the users surveyed that accessed mobile data used laptops with 3G services; 14 percent used Blackberry devices, 10 percent used other PDAs and the majority (75 percent) used wireless-enabled laptops at public Wi-Fi hotspots.
Over half (58 per cent) of the Wi-Fi users surveyed admitted that they went to outlets and bought food and drink, just so they could access Wi-Fi hotspots - Starbucks was the location named by the most respondents.
The survey also found that most users of Wi-Fi use it at public hotspots, with wireline broadband connections still the most popular connection at home. Two thirds of those questioned have broadband in their home, but only a fifth of those use Wi-Fi access at home.
The respondents who use public hotspots were asked how often they do so, and 20 per cent said they used Wi-Fi once a month, 40 per cent used Wi-Fi once a week, 20 per cent used Wi-Fi several times a week, and 10 per cent used public Wi-Fi every day. 56 per cent of these would go out of their way to use a free service.
Only one in twenty respondents said that they understood the difference between Wi-Fi, 3G and GPRS.
This will hardly come as a shock and the research didnt even include the various other wireless standards, such as WiMAX and Bluetooth etc.
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