Municipal Wireless

Analysis of Municipal Wi-Fi, Mesh Routers, Applications and Business Models

In this study, ABI Research explores the adolescent municipal Wi-Fi market. In the US alone, over 400 municipalities are in various phases of deployment and disillusionment with their networks as the ‘free’ business model begins to implode. Can this market be re-purposed to take advantage of municipal Wi-Fi's real value propositions? Can politicians reset citizens’ expectations? Is this threat to the big telecoms’ network access dominance finally dead? This report examines the current state of municipal Wi-Fi networks, exploring their strengths and weaknesses, along with their benefits for private and public users. It compares competitive broadband offers with municipal Wi-Fi based capabilities. The discussion includes wireless mesh technology evolution and radio spectrum allocations for unlicensed and public safety use. The research assesses current market challenges and possible solutions, including possible new funding mechanisms, business issues and business plans. Finally, this study profiles technology suppliers, and includes analysis of municipal Wi-Fi coverage areas and mesh routing system equipment revenues.

What Questions Does This Report Answer?

  • What is the promise of municipal Wi-Fi and why is it now in churn?
  • What is the real value of municipal wireless networks?
  • Are there appropriate business models?
  • What are the benefits of municipal Wi-Fi networks?
  • What are the technology enablers and evolution?
  • Who are the market players and what are their strategies?
  • What are the moderate and aggressive forecasts to 2012?

Who Needs This Report?

  • Investors
  • Service providers
  • Technology suppliers
  • Municipal decision makers
  • Mobile workforce enterprises

Table of Contents


Section 1.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1.1. Summary
1.2. The Real Deal
1.3. A US $1 Billion Silver Lining — PSIC Overview
1.4. Beyond Municipal Wi-Fi
1.5. Regional Contrasts in Municipal Wi-Fi Adoption
1.6. Municipal Wi-Fi Supply Chain Analysis

Section 2.
STRATEGIC OVERVIEW
2.1. Municipal Wi-Fi Overview
2.2. Public Safety Benefits
2.3. Public Works Benefits
2.4. Digital Inclusion
2.5. Consumer Market
2.5.1. Existing Municipal Wi-Fi Consumer Market (v1)
2.5.2. Repositioned Municipal Wi-Fi Consumer Market (v2)
2.6. Consumer Market Competitive Positioning
2.6.1. Mobile Data
2.6.2. DSL, VDSL and FTTH versus Municipal Wi-Fi
2.7. Cable Modems/Broadband Internet Service
2.8. Satellite Broadcast Services
2.9. WiMAX

Section 3.
TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW
3.1. Technology Evolution
3.1.1. Wireless Mesh Networks
3.1.2. MIMO
3.1.3. Wi-Fi
3.2. International Radio Spectrum
3.3. US Radio Spectrum

Section 4.
MUNICIPAL Wi-FI BUSINESS ISSUES
4.1. Business Issues Overview
4.2. Expectations for Municipal Wi-Fi
4.3. Municipal Wi-Fi Business Case
4.4. Municipal Wi-Fi Business Models
4.4.1. Private Owner/Operator with Anchor Tenant
4.4.2. Municipal Owner/Operator
4.4.3. Private Owner/Municipal Operator
4.4.4. Municipal Owner/Private Operator
4.5. Municipal Wi-Fi Key Market Inhibitors
4.5.1. Free Wireless Broadband?
4.5.2. Pedestrian, Not Mobile WI-Fi
4.5.3. Outdoor-only Coverage
4.5.4. Lack of Municipal Wi-Fi Applications
4.5.5. Emerging Security, Quality of Service, and Privacy Concerns
4.5.6. Cost and Obsolescence
4.6. Municipal Wi-Fi Key Market Drivers
4.6.1. Internet Ubiquity and Growth
4.6.2. Emergency Communications
4.6.3. Competition
4.7. Futuristic Scenario Google, 2010

Section 5.
MUNICIPAL WI-FI MARKET FORECASTS
5.1. Market Definition
5.2. Regional Definition
5.3. Coverage Definition

Section 6.
VENDOR PROFILES
6.1. BelAir Networks
6.2. Cisco Systems Inc
6.3. Firetide Inc
6.4. MeshDynamics Inc
6.5. Motorola Inc
6.6. Nortel Networks
6.7. PacketHop Inc
6.8. Rajant
6.9. RoamAD Ltd
6.10. SkyPilot Networks Inc
6.11. Strix Systems Inc
6.12. Tropos Networks

Section 7.
COMPANY LIST

Section 8.
ACRONYMS
SCOPE OF STUDY
SOURCES AND METHODOLOGY
NOTES
FIGURE



Tables
  • 802.11 Generations
  • ITU-R Study Groups
  • Municipal Wi-Fi -Networked Square Miles by Region, World Markets: 2004 to 2012, Square Miles (000s)
  • Municipal Wi-Fi Networked Square Kilometers by Region, World Markets: 2004 to 2012, Square Kilometers (000s)
  • Municipal Mesh Router Shipments by Region, World Markets: 2004 to 2012, Shipments (000s)
  • Municipal Mesh Router Revenue by Region, World Markets: 2004 to 2012, Revenue ($ Millions)

Charts
  • MuniWi-Fi Networked Square Miles by Region, World Market, Forecast: 2004 to 2012
  • Metro-Scale Mesh Networking WMR Revenue by Region, World Market, Forecast: 2004 to 2012
  • Metro-Scale Mesh-Networked Square Miles by Region, World Market, Forecast: 2004 to 2012
  • Metro-Scale Mesh Networking WMR Shipments by Region, World Market, Forecast: 2004 to 2012

Figures
  • Broadband Access: Relative Positioning of Delivered Bandwidth Capabilities
  • Typical Municipal Wireless Mesh
  • ITU Regions Emergency Communications
  • Radio Spectrum