Interesting things are happening in India on the WiFi front, as a just-published 60-page report, titled "The Future for Wi-Fi in India: Opportunities and Challenges," shows. The report was prepared by Tonse Telecom and the Wi-Fi Alliance, and it offers an in-depth look at the emerging WiFi market in India. It is especially useful in discussing innovative companies and institutions which are involved in promoting the technology. Frank Hanzlik, the Wi-Fi Alliance managing director, said that India is emerging as a very important and exciting market for their members, both in-country and worldwide. 

The study's major findings:

• The WLAN network gear sector will exceed $275 million by 2011-12 (not including embedded chips), up from the current $23.1 million with the growth in the broadband wireless access.
• By 2012, the combined WiFi market (consisting of WLAN networking
  gear, systems integration, professional services--but not including embedded devices and laptops) is expected to exceed $744 million (CAGR of 61.4 percent).
• Previously unconnected rural and urban areas can now have broadband connectivity based on hybrid WiFi and WiMAX deployments.
• Dual-mode WiFi-cellular handsets are expected to bring higher throughput Internet connectivity to numerous Indian citizens who do not own computers.

Sridhar T. Pai, CEO of Tonse Telecom, says there is tremendous enthusiasm in India for WiFi technology. Hanzlik believes the Wi-Fi Alliance programs, including interoperability and security testing, will be key enablers of WiFi adoption in India, much as they have been in other markets worldwide.
 
For more on WiFi growth on the subcontinent:
- download the paper at the Wi-Fi Alliance website [1]