Mobile Data Drives Wireless Test Equipment Market

Yes.

Oddly enough, it won't be the mobility aspect of wireless that drives this. As wireless devices become more capable (higher throughput), there is more of a push to use them for basic connectivity for businesses, particularly small businesses. In many cases, this is for back up.

The problem with that is -- where is the device to be located? If you have a connection card, for example, plugged in to a laptop, it doesn't matter all that much. If you don't have a good signal, just move to a place where you do. If you have the device plugged in to a router in a telco closet somewhere, moving is not an option.

With all wireless networks, throughput and latency are directly related to signal quality. The better the signal, the lower the latency and the higher the throughput. Since most wireless networks operate in higher frequencies (1.8 GHz and higher in Europe, 1.9 GHz and higher in the USA for example), the radio signal doesn't propagate too well in buildings.

So, the ability to deploy a solution depends on the ability to determine what the signal quality is where the device will be used. If it is to be in a closet, then maybe an external antenna will help. If this is to support several users in an office or warehouse, then maybe a distributed antenna system or femto cell with separate back haul is required. Whatever the solution, the ability to determine what the macro network is providing at a precise location is necessary.

Another use may be for a wireless customer to use such a device to determine who offers the best signal at a particular location and base their purchase on that.

Thing is, there are devices out there that do this today -- but they are expensive. Creating test devices at a reasonable cost is what is needed.