Tempe AZ--Dec. 16, 2002--Forward Concepts has announced the publication of what it believes to be the definitive in-depth study of the WLAN equipment and chip markets. The new report, “WLAN: Wireless Data’s Silver Bullet” provides a comprehensive analysis of system and chip markets for home, enterprise and media.

Based on a survey and interviews with dozens of companies involved in the WLAN market, the report provides detailed forecasts through 2006 of all market segments, including Access Points (APs), Network Interface Cards (NICs), Broadband Router Gateways (BBRGs), and the chipsets enabling the entire WLAN network. Units, average selling prices (ASPs), and total revenue are forecast for every market segment.

The report indicates that shipments of WLAN products increased over 100% in 2002, and will continue growing as the stellar wireless market performer for the next several years. Even though average equipment prices overall dropped by almost 28%, revenues increased over 50% in 2002 to the $2.6 billion level, worldwide. The study forecasts that the WLAN equipment market will continue growing at a 43% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to the $10.3 billion level in 2006.

The WLAN chip market grew over 43% in 2002 to the $364 million level, in spite of a 31% decline in overall average selling prices. The study projects that overall WLAN chip revenues will continue to grow at a 49% CAGR, in spite of continual average selling price (ASP) declines. The report also predicts that some companies will exit the market as margins become increasingly slimmer because of growing competition.

The study concludes that the 5 GHz 802.11a market will have a very short life, giving way to combo 802.11ab and 802.11ag devices. And the 2.4 GHz 802.11b market will continue to be the major market as its lower power consumption is favored for portable devices, like the new breed of Tablet PCs, which Forward Concepts believes finally has a viable market thanks to WLAN technology. The report points to other market possibilities, including cable phones in the home that will finally make competitive sense because of WLAN. And it also forecasts the embedded WLAN markets including those Tablet PCs and cable phones, along with notebook computers, PDAs, cellphones, digital cameras, and VoIP phones for the enterprise market.

Detailed vendor market shares (in revenue and units) in every equipment category are provided, for 2001, 2002 and even for the second half of 2002…since the market is changing so fast. Breakouts are included for the residential, enterprise, and embedded market segments --- covering both client-side and infrastructure sales. In addition, the report includes company profiles of over 70 significant WLAN equipment and chip providers, on a global basis.

Uniquely, the report also details chip vendor market shares and which chip vendor’s products are shipping to what equipment vendors, and which equipments are re-branded and sold under other vendor’s names.

The report also forecasts the blazing “hot spot” market that began with Starbucks Coffee and has blossomed globally to thousands of locations, and is still growing at a rapid rate. Both service sites and service subscribers are forecast through 2006 along with estimates of the installed base and 2002 hot spot growth of the top dozen or so service providers, worldwide.

The 225-page report, “WLAN: Wireless Data’s Silver Bullet,” includes 85 figures and 30 in-depth tables and is priced at $3,650 in North America. The report is available from Forward Concepts, 1575 W. University Dr. #111, Tempe AZ 85281 [Tel: 480-968-3759, Fax: 480-968-7145,email: info@fwdconcepts.com ].

Details of the report are available on the company’s website at www.forwardconcepts.com

Contact:

Forward Concepts, Tempe AZ, Will Strauss (480-968-3759), Email: info@fwdconcepts.com ].