16/09-04   -   Pressmeddelande

Nordic Wireless is Finally Taking Off, Says IDC

The future is wireless, according to a new IDC study of 600 Nordic companies´ wireless plans and attitudes, which shows that Nordic companies are investing in WLANs, hotspots, and employee access to public hotspots.

"There is a lot of talk about the future being wireless, and this study proves it," said Karsten Fogh Ho-Lanng, senior analyst at IDC Nordic. "Nordic companies are investing a lot of thought and money in making employees wireless, both in the office and while traveling, but the market is still quite isolated from other mobility solutions in the companies. We will therefore see a second wave with increased focus on integrated solutions between the different access technologies."

Though investment is increasing in all sectors of the wireless market, there are some differences by industry. In education, WLAN investment is keeping pace with mobility investment, due to the structure of educational establishments, with students and teachers concentrated in one place and with little need for mobility outside the school or university premises. But mobility investment exceeds WLAN investment in all other industries. In the financial sector, security issues have inhibited the adoption of wireless solutions, and in transport and utilities there has been a slowdown in investment in wireless compared to general IT investment levels. This is probably due to the geographical structure of companies in the transport industry — they are mobile by nature, with less need for wireless solutions at company sites.

According to the study, enterprises should be made aware of the benefits of WLAN. Lack of awareness is a problem in the Swedish market, where companies have yet to realize the business opportunities in giving customers and other business partners access to the company WLAN. However, in Denmark, Norway, and Finland, especially among large companies and in the education sector, there is much greater interest in giving customers and other visitors access to the wireless LAN.

Of the largest companies (500+ employees) in the survey, 24% are planning to implement WLAN, but investment growth is only 3%, showing that companies are choosing relatively simple, low-priced solutions instead of taking the next step into a more sophisticated solution with, for instance, integration to other access technologies such as GSM and 3G-based mobile solutions.

To purchase the study, Nordic Enterprise Survey 2004: Go Wireless — Enter the Zone (IDC #N660427L, August 2004), please visit www.idc.com or contact your local IDC office.

About IDC
IDC is the premier global market intelligence and advisory firm in the information technology and telecommunications industries. We analyze and predict technology
trends so that our clients can make strategic, fact-based decisions on IT purchases and business strategy. Over 700 IDC analysts in 50 countries provide local
expertise and insights on technology markets. Business executives and IT managers have relied for 40 years on our advice to make decisions that contribute to the success of their organizations.

IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world´s leading technology media, research, and events company. Additional information can be found at www.idc.com
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For more information:
Karsten Fogh Ho-Lanng
kfoghholanng@idc.com
+45 39162222