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Radio Frequency PC Networks: #1
Choice in Multi-PC Households
Early Market Prognosis Good for
"No-New-Wires" Networking
Nearly four out of every ten
non-networked multiple-PC households prefers unfettered data networking, a new study from
Parks Associates reveals.
Networks @
Home: Multiple-PC Households, a national survey of households with more than one PC in
use, finds that RF-based networking (such as the solutions from HomeRF, IEEE 802.11, or
ShareWave Inc.) ranks just ahead of phoneline networking as a first choice in
"no-new-wires" data networking. Powerline networking is a strong second choice
for most multiple-PC households.
 "Frankly, we aren’t surprised that
one-third of consumers with multiple PCs prefer a phoneline network, given the notoriety
that groups like HomePNA have received," said Kurt Scherf, Parks Associates’
in-home networks analyst. "However, RF ranks slightly higher, and we believe that
consumers in multi-PC households are sold on the flexibility of these networks. And
although powerline networking isn’t currently a strong first choice, we think that,
provided that more proven solutions become readily available, it has a significant
opportunity to penetrate this market, too."
Data networks – or home-based PC LANs – are already found in a growing
number of multiple-PC households, the study found. Further deployment of data networks
should coincide with the steady increase expected in broadband Internet penetration.
"There are early trends that point to higher home network figures in households that
have high-speed Internet access," said Scherf. "There are currently more than
eight million US households who believe that high-speed Internet access is
‘extremely’ or ‘moderately’ useful," he continued. "And a
significant number of them are willing to pay between $30 and $50 per month – right
at the sweet spot."
 Video
games players constitute are a key component in multiple-PC households, and more than
one-half of these households (56%) own a gaming console apart from the PC. More
significantly, multi-PC households with game consoles perceive PC-based entertainment and
appliance control as "extremely" or "moderately" more so than
households than do not own a gaming device. "This is key to the developers of
advanced video gaming devices," said
Scherf.
"As more game consoles become equipped with broadband connections and networking
hardware pre-installed, they will become an integral part of the home entertainment
network."
Networks @ Home: Multiple-PC
Households
consists of quantitative and qualitative data on the purchase and use of PCs in the home,
demographics of the multiple-PC household, the use of the Internet, reaction to Internet
appliances and broadband access, and early reactions to home networks. For more
information about Parks Associates or this report, please contact Parks
Associates at sales@parksassociates.com
or visit www.parksassociates.com.
About Parks Associates: Parks Associates is an
internationally recognized market research and consulting company specializing
in emerging consumer technology products and services. Founded in 1986, Parks
Associates creates research capital for companies ranging from Fortune 500 to
small start-ups through market reports, primary studies, consumer research,
custom research, workshops, executive conferences, and annual service
subscriptions.
The company's expertise includes new media, digital
entertainment and gaming, home networks, Internet and television services,
digital health, mobile applications and services, consumer electronics, and home
control systems and security.
Each year, Parks Associates hosts executive thought
leadership conferences CONNECTIONS™, with support from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA®), and CONNECTIONS™ Europe. In addition, Parks
Associates produces the online publication Industry Insights in
conjunction with the CONNECTIONS™ Conference series.
http://www.parksassociates.com |
http://www.connectionsconference.com |
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