The global economic value of Wi-Fi will hit $3.3 trillion this year and will grow to $4.9 trillion by 2025, according to a new study from the Wi-Fi Alliance.
A significant contributing factor to this growth, according to the Wi-Fi Alliance, will be the adoption of Wi-Fi 6 as well as the availability of the 6 GHz spectrum.
In the U.S., the FCC has been fairly aggressive in looking for opportunities to free up additional spectrum for Wi-Fi use.
To determine Wi-Fi economic value, researchers looked at factors such as free Wi-Fi access, residential and enterprise savings, Wi-Fi 6 adoption, availability of 6 GHz spectrum, and the coronavirus pandemic.
Wi-Fi’s economic value was greatest in the U.S., where researchers measured that value at $995 billion. The U.S. will still be in the lead in 2025, when economic value is projected to rise to $1.58 trillion, according to the researchers.
Other top Wi-Fi locations around the globe, in terms of current and projected economic value are:
“Wi-Fi’s inherent strengths have driven the global economic value to new levels and proved to be the answer for meeting the growing demand for connectivity,” said Raul Katz, study lead author and president of Telecom Advisory Services, in a prepared statement. “Wi-Fi has played a critical role for consumers and businesses during the pandemic. It is important to ensure sufficient spectrum to continue its social and economic benefits now and in the future.”
