Wi-Fi Alliance and ABI Research, Tuesday announced that the use of dual-band Wi-Fi devices has surpassed that of single-band 2.4 GHz devices only, supported by a new report by ABI Research which forecasts that 68 percent of all Wi-Fi devices shipped in 2015 will use the 5 GHz band.
According to Wi-Fi alliance, the widespread adoption of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED ac in smartphones, tablets, and consumer electronics has pushed 5 GHz into the spotlight as a critical frequency band for Wi-Fi operations. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED ac is the latest generation of Wi-Fi, offering users expanded bandwidth and up to gigabit per second data rates, with dual-band usage doubling overall network capacity. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED ac has prompted the expansion of 5 GHz Wi-Fi usage beyond the enterprise, as consumers adopt advanced smartphones and look to dual-band networking to improve home network capacity and performance to support multimedia usages.
Edgar Figueroa, President and CEO, Wi-Fi Alliance
The advancements in 5 GHz Wi-Fi technology have fueled the growth in the number and variety of devices certified by Wi-Fi Alliance members. The widespread use of 5 GHz Wi-Fi products continues to increase the value of Wi-Fi, with better performance and capacity.
Phil Solis, Research Director, ABI Research
The growth of Wi-Fi devices has been consistent over a number of years and has shown an ever-expanding presence in 5 GHz. More than half of all Wi-Fi devices last year used 5 GHz, and that will grow to close to 100 percent saturation in the next five years.
