MRD For Wi-Fi Enabled

Appliances

ZREYAS TECHNOLOGY INC

Maryland Center for
Entrepreneurship (MCE) :
Suite #660 and #665
9250 Bendix Road North
Columbia, MD 21045

7143090509
[Type the fax number]
7/24/2013

This study deals with the present scenario of Wi-Fi usage and the
transition that has taken place in the field of home automations. The
study also makes an attempt to analyze the scope of Wi-fi enabled
appliances and how Wi-fi enabled Switches can help in controlling
the house hold appliances. We have tried to suggest various
marketing strategies to gain a decent amount of market share from
the competitors by proper positioning & offering a value proposition
to its end users.

Executive Summary
In todays world, the use of internet is absolutely indispensable. With the indispensability of internet for
multifarious purposes related to work as well as home, the popularity of Wi-Fi has also grown manifold in the
last decade.
Initially the Wi-Fi services were used for access to the internet and the concept of such Wi-Fi access had
popularized from its accessibility in places like airports, malls, cafes etc. However, the application of Wi-Fi has
grown from mere access to the internet to home automation devices and found its place not only in public
hotspots but also in peoples homes. For our report, we are mainly interested in the Wi-Fi enabled home
appliances & how Wi-Fi enabled switches can play a significant role in home automation control.
Once the Wi-Fi enabled devices which were seen as high end products only to be used by affluent households
are now seen in a very different light. Such devices, now, are seen as appliances to make ones life more
convenient without too much of a pocket pinch. This change in peoples perception has opened up avenues for
manufacturers of such Wi-Fi enabled appliances.
Wi-Fi enabled appliances like door locks, lighting control, alarm systems are establishing themselves firmly in
terms of popularity as far as home automation products are concerned. As for certification, the Wi-Fi Alliance
certification is the most widely accepted. However, that does not in any way suggest that the appliances which
do not bear the Wi-Fi Alliance logo are not trustworthy or recommendable.
Surveys captured in the report have shown steady rise in the launch of the number of Wi-Fi enabled products as
well as in the volume of mobile data traffic over the last decade. The projected figures of the same are also quite
encouraging.
The global Wi-Fi market revenue is forecasted to reach $93.23 billion in 2018 from $40.13 billion in 2013, at an
estimated CAGR of 15.08% during this period. This global Wi-Fi market is forecasted by closely watching the
market trends and analyzing market drivers and restraints and their potential effect on the market. This data can
be supported by the fact that Wi-Fi delivers the lowest cost per bit, a factor which gains significance as indoor
usage increases in prevalence over outdoor use. The economics are also present in the next key development in
the industry Hotspot 2.0, the mechanism that brings Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity together in one box and
gives end-users a product which is more than the sum of its parts.
The number of Wi-Fi-enabled devices has already grown exponentially in the last decade or so, as has the
number of places where Wi-Fi is accessible. A recent survey found that free Wi-Fi was the most wanted
amenity among hotel guests, beating out free breakfast and free parking. Today, the number of new devices
connecting to Wi-Fi is growing far beyond the traditional PC. Smartphones, tablet computers, game consoles
and the TV are among the latest to tap into the network. Next up are home appliances like thermostats, washing
machines and refrigerators. The growth is so fast that researchers predict that there will be 5 billion Wi-Fi
connected devices worldwide by 2014.
The onslaught of new ways to use Wi-Fi calls for something thats faster and more reliable, powerful enough to
cover a broader range and robust enough to handle more devices transmitting data-heavy content, including
high-definition video.
With the interest from end consumers and operators top Wi-Fi equipment vendors like Cisco, Ruckus Wireless,
Ericsson, Nokia Siemens and Alcatel-Lucent are gearing up to tap the market. Infonetics forecasts the global
carrier Wi-Fi equipment market to grow in the high double-digit percents annually at least through 2016, when
it will cross $2.0 billion. The other companies Cisco, Alca-Lu, Nokia Siemens and Ericsson have similar
plans for Indian market. Interestingly, it has been projected that Asia Pacificespecially China, Indonesia and
Indiawill be the strongest drivers of growth of Wi-Fi services and products through 2017.
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The Marketing Analysis in this report for Wi-Fi enabled appliances is based on the major findings and
observations from the recent internet and Wi-Fi related surveys including those conducted by Wi-Fi Alliance,
Informa Telecom & Media among others.

Opportunity & Issue Analysis

i.

Presence & Performance of Wi-Fi networks & Wi-Fi Enabled appliances

Wi-Fi has firmly established itself as the most heavily-used wireless technology ever deployed in terms
of the volume of data traffic transmitted over networks using Wi-Fi, according to Informa Telecoms &
Media. Some of the key issues have been highlighted as below:

Any network company seeking to efficiently and profitably manage the follow of data traffic
across their network should be looking to include Wi-Fi as part of an holistic customer-centric
network strategy
The ever growing ubiquity of Wi-Fi networks combined with the integration of low-cost Wi-Fi
chipsets into a vast and mature ecosystem built of thousands of devices and the explosion of
applications has ensured that hundreds of millions of users worldwide now make regular use of WiFi to access the Internet. This has meant that developing a Wi-Fi strategy has become an imperative
for virtually all operators globally. According to Thomas Wehmeier, principal analyst at Informa
Telecoms & Media, any network director seeking to efficiently and profitably manage the follow of
data traffic across their network should be looking to include Wi-Fi as part of a holistic customercentric network strategy.

In 2010 alone, more than 1,950 device models supporting Wi-Fi were certified by the Wi-Fi
Alliance.
After successfully establishing
itself firmly as a must-have feature
in virtually every smartphone and
an increasing number of lower-cost
mass-market feature phones, the
second wave of Wi-Fi has truly
emerged. In 2010 alone, more than
1,950 device models supporting
Wi-Fi were certified by the Wi-Fi
Alliance, including almost 250 WiFi enabled smartphones (see fig. 1).

Eight of the 10 worlds largest operators by revenue have deployed their own public Wi-Fi
networks.
In total, the Wi-Fi Alliance has issued more than 9,000 product certifications. Support for Wi-Fi has
come from executives from the worlds largest operator groups. In fact, Connections to Wi-Fi
networks have historically been dominated by the laptops of the mobile workforce, but the rise of
smartphones means that they are set to take over as the primary device connecting to public Wi-Fi
networks. Operators around the globe are reporting that the mix of devices connecting to their public
Wi-Fi networks is changing rapidly on an almost daily basis and, according to the joint WBA/

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Informa Telecoms & Media industry survey, connections from smartphones and tablets already
account for almost 51% of the total on average.

There has always been a strong community actively supporting the Wi-Fi ecosystem through
bodies such as the Wireless Broadband Alliance
As mobile data markets develop and as the penetration of smartphones, tablets and other connected
devices increases, there is widespread expectation that almost all operators will be required to enter
the Wi-Fi space in some way to remain competitive.

Operators have chosen a variety of different strategies to meet customer demand for Wi-Fi
The choices of the operator typically dependent on the existing status of the local Wi-Fi market and
their own market position and network strategy. A large number of operators, such as Thailands
True, South Koreas SK Telekom and Chinas three operators, have chosen to invest heavily in
building out their own extensive networks, while others have preferred to purchase wholesale
capacity from existing players or build partnerships with some of the major Wi-Fi aggregators, such
as iPass or Boingo.

Wi-Fi Enabled Device Shipments Exceeding 1.5 Billion in 2012

The latest report from ABI Research predicts that the number of Wi-Fi enabled devices shipped in
2012 is expected to surpass 1.5 billion. This is due to an incredible surge in growth occurring across
the mobile handset, laptop, tablet, printer, automotive and TV markets. Overall, over 9 billion Wi-Fi
enabled devices have been shipped since 2009.
Broadcom, Qualcomm, MediaTek, Marvell, Intel, and Texas Instruments the top six leading
suppliers of Wi-Fi components accounted for over 85-percent of the total market revenues in 2011,
the report said. Over the past few years, many of these suppliers have mainly relied on the
smartphone and laptop markets to drive revenue, but the connected TV market is expected to drive
sales even further going forward.

Wi-Fi investments are extremely varied

In the era of explosive mobile data
traffic growth (see fig. 2), data
offloading has rightly been positioned
at the very front and center of industry
thinking, but the business models that
have driven and continue to drive
Wi-Fi investments are extremely
varied (see fig. 3).
In the UK, one of the worlds most
advanced
markets
for
Wi-Fi,
investments are being underpinned by
a range of divergent business models:
BT, the UKs fixed incumbent, is using Wi-Fi as a means to differentiate and add value to its
fixed broadband offerings

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 Telefonica is using Wi-Fi to

build a location-based services
strategy
BSkyB has acquired The Cloud
and moved to build a
multiscreen
content-delivery
strategy for its core Satellite TV
business that relies on its
extensive public Wi-Fi assets.
The upshot of this widespread
interest in Wi-Fi is that the number
of public Hotspots is set to
proliferate, growing from 0.8 million
at the end of 2010 to 5.8 million by
the end of 2015, according to
Informa Telecoms & Media (see fig.
4). This research does not include the
4.5 million community Wi-Fi public
hotspots provided through FON and
its successful partnerships with
leading operators, such as BT, SFR
Softbank and MTS.

Much of the growth in the number of Wi-Fi hotspots will come from emerging markets such as
China, India and Brazil where some of the largest-ever mass deployments of public Wi-Fi are being
undertaken by incumbent and new entrants to the market.
The worlds largest mobile operator, China Mobile, is planning to deploy a total of one million Wi-Fi
Hotspots throughout China. This spread of public Wi-Fi networks will be a truly global phenomenon
and operators in all regions and all types of markets have declared their intention to move into Wi-Fi.
Recent announcements of new rollouts span markets as diverse as Romania, Namibia and Qatar.
Wi-Fi is increasingly moving beyond the traditional prime locations to the next generation of
Hotspot locations
The expansion of public Hotspots is not only being led by the land grab for key venues, such as
hotels, stadia and airports, being witnessed in new markets, but also by the increasing density of WiFi networks in established markets. Wi-Fi is increasingly moving beyond the traditional prime
locations to the next generation of Hotspot locations, such as retail outlets, local- and wide-area
outdoor Hotzones, as merchants and Wi-Fi network operators alike begin to understand the variety of
profitable business models that can be underpinned by deployment of Wi-Fi.
Hundreds of millions of Wi-Fi enabled households and offices are expected to emerge in the
coming years
Whats happening in the public Wi-Fi market is being matched equally by continued penetration of
Wi-Fi into private households and businesses. Hundreds of millions of Wi-Fi enabled households and
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offices are expected to emerge in the

coming years, according to Informa
Telecoms & Medias forecasts (see
fig. 5).
Although the Wi-Fi experience has
improved with the deployment of
802.11n and the implementation of
authentication based on 802.1x, there
is unquestionably still much to be
done to grow the adoption and usage
further and to build a first-class user
experience. Challenges that must still
be overcome include simplifying the
authentication and sign-on process,
establishing a truly global roaming
footprint and addressing concerns
around security and privacy.
Vendor, operators and Wi-Fi industry bodies, such as the Wireless Broadband Alliance and the Wi-Fi
Alliance, are responding to changing demands from end users to develop new standards and
frameworks to further enhance the Wi-Fi user experience in terms of authentication, speed, capacity,
security and user experience
Just as fixed and cellular technologies are not standing still, the common standards that underpin Wi-Fi
technology are evolving in parallel, with sometimes interweaving paths. Both operators and users have
come to rely on Wi-Fi, so it has been compelled to grow smarter. Carrier-grade Wi-Fi with telecomsgrade reliability has become almost a must. The focus today is on simplifying the Wi-Fi user experience
and aligning it as closely as possible with the mobile experience in terms of connection management,
authentication and sign-on, charging and billing, and importantly security and privacy.
Despite the global carrier router and switch industry loss of 4 percent in 2012, experts in technology
feel 2013 will bring positive changes.
In fact, world industry leaders located in countries outside of the USA are already posting gains and
cautiously expanding into the next generation of cloud technology. This existing growth leads to
analysts like Michael Howard, co-founder of Infonetics, to foresee large investments in next generation
network investments and this years initial increase in business investment seems to corroborate this
estimated growth projection
These Projections are based on the following statistics:
o Growth in all world regions except for the US. But even the Americans rallied by the
fourth quarter of last year.
o While the US was down in 2012, it is up nearly 13 percent now, which is the highest year
gain of any region.
o Leading manufacturers of router and switch products remain strong with Cisco leading
the pack, Huawei coming in second, Alcatel-Lucent coming in third, and Juniper in
fourth.
o Analysts suggest that last years loss is relatively insignificant, as it could have been
worse. Gains from operations in Europe, China and Latin American sustained the overall
market and final quarter of 2012.
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o The increased US prosperity offers a positive outlook and a forecast of increased sales for
the year.
o Sales activity is also positive for the Middle East and Latin America, and although this
growth seems slower in Europe and Africa, system administrators know that at some
point they will need to upgrade their network or risk having an obsolete and
uncompetitive system.

Wi-Fi enabled digital shade that instantly switches windows from opaque to clear in less than a
second.
SONTE Film is the first ever Wi-Fi enabled digital shade that instantly switches windows from
opaque to clear in less than a second. The film pairs with a free smartphone app that allows users to
turn SONTE Film on for see-through windows and off for opaque windows. Users can also use
the app to control a rooms privacy and transparency setting. The customizable digital shade is easy
to install and affordable, and doubles as a projection screen.

Support for SIM-based authentication is expected to proliferate with the strong support of the
operator community.
Although authentication methods have improved in the latest Wi-Fi-enabled devices, evidence
suggests that additional simplification and automation is needed to drive adoption of public Wi-Fi
usage outside the home. O2 UK has reported that only 20% of the potential base of users currently
access free public Hotspots provided by its partners. This is despite the fact that O2 has a customer
base that is tech-savvy and has been bundling Wi-Fi for free in smartphone tariffs since June 2008.
The UK has dense public Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi awareness is very high precisely the conditions one
would expect to drive leading levels of public Wi-Fi usage.
As a result, support for SIM-based authentication is expected to proliferate with the strong support of
the operator community. Standards such as EAP-SIM and EAP-AKA are set to be included in a
greater variety of smartphones and tablets and as more OEMs include Wi-Fi in their devices.

In spite of the spread of sponsored Hotspots that offer access for free on a national basis to the
end user, users will continue to show willingness to pay for Wi-Fi where no alternative form of
connectivity exists or where Wi-Fi is perceived as the best available form of connectivity.
The willingness to pay and the amount paid is likely will be proportional to the perceived quality of
the network performance on offer, as well as perceptions of usability, security and privacy, and will
also be focused on obtaining access in key venues with high traffic demand, such as airports, hotels
and urban Hotzones.

The Wi-Fi Alliance announced the certification program for 802.11ac Wi-Fi (also known as 5G
Wi-Fi).
Mobile devices, tablets, laptops, networking gear and other hardware will be available in the last half
of 2013 with a Wi-Fi Certified label, ensuring that the devices have been tested to interoperate with
other 802.11ac products and older Wi-Fi products.
"The certification program ensures that users can purchase the latest device and not worry if it will
work with a device of two years or even 10 years ago," said Kevin Robinson, senior marketing
manager for the Wi-Fi Alliance in an interview.

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The faster Wi-Fi allows two-to-three times faster speeds than existing 802.11n technology, Robinson
said. It will enhance the speed of movie downloads and other user needs in a home or work place.

The Wi-Fi industry has come together to develop better standards to meet user expectations.
The need to meet these user expectations will be a strong driver towards additional investment into
Wi-Fi networks and a move towards Next Generation Hotspot deployments based on common
standards. The good news is that the industry has come together to develop these standards. The WiFi Alliance developed the Hotspot 2.0 specification that is being used to certify products, and the
Wireless Broadband Alliance is using Hotspot 2.0 certified products to run its Next Generation
Hotspot trials to demonstrate interoperability between operators, roaming partners, and CPE and
device vendors. The results of the trials will be published to the Wi-Fi Alliance and the GSMA to
continue to inform and improve standards and specifications.
The combined effort of the Wi-Fi ecosystem to build the next generation of Hotspots and a variety of
new business models that exploit the enhanced capabilities of Wi-Fi networks and devices will
ensure that Wi-Fi continues to dominate as the most important wireless technology

ii.

Wi-Fi Product Certification

The IEEE does not test equipment for compliance with their standards. The non-profit Wi-Fi
Alliance was formed in 1999 to fill this void
To establish and enforce standards for interoperability and backward compatibility, and to
promote wireless local-area-network technology. Wi-Fi Alliance is a trade association that promotes
Wi-Fi technology and certifies Wi-Fi products if they conform to certain standards
of interoperability.

Not every IEEE 802.11-compliant device is submitted for certification to the Wi-Fi Alliance,
sometimes because of costs associated with the certification process.

The lack of the Wi-Fi logo does not necessarily imply a device is incompatible with Wi-Fi devices.

The Wi-Fi Alliance owns the Wi-Fi trademark. Manufacturers may use the trademark to brand certified
products that have been tested for interoperability.

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As of 2010, the Wi-Fi Alliance consisted of more than 375 companies from around the world.
The Wi-Fi Alliance enforces the use of the Wi-Fi brand to technologies based on the IEEE
802.11 standards from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. This includes wireless
local area network (WLAN) connections, device to device connectivity (such as Wi-Fi Peer to Peer
aka Wi-Fi Direct), Personal area network (PAN), local area network (LAN) and even some
limited wide area network (WAN) connections.

Manufacturers with membership in the Wi-Fi Alliance, whose products pass the certification
process, gain the right to mark those products with the Wi-Fi logo.
Specifically, the certification process requires conformance to the IEEE 802.11 radio standards,
the WPA and WPA2 security standards, and the EAP authentication standard. Certification may
optionally include tests of IEEE 802.11 draft standards, interaction with cellular-phone technology in
converged devices, and features relating to security set-up, multimedia, and power-saving.
Not every Wi-Fi device is submitted for certification. The lack of Wi-Fi certification does not
necessarily imply that a device is incompatible with other Wi-Fi devices. If it is compliant or partly
compatible, the Wi-Fi Alliance may not object to its description as a Wi-Fi device though technically
only certified devices are approved.

Derivative terms, such as Super Wi-Fi, coined by the US Federal Communications

Commission (FCC) to describe proposed networking in the UHF TV band in the US, may or may
not be sanctioned.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States
government, created by Congressional statute and with the majority of its commissioners appointed
by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition,
the spectrum, the media, public safety and homeland security.
The FCC regulates broadcast stations amateur radio operators, and repeater stations as well
as commercial broadcasting operators who operate and repair certain radiotelephone,
television, radar, and Morse code radio stations. In recent years it has also licensed people who
maintain or operate GMDSS stations. Broadcast licenses are to be renewed if the station meets the
"public interest, convenience, or necessity"

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED is a program for testing products to the 802.11 industry standards for
interoperability, security, easy installation, and reliability.
The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo is an assurance that the Wi-Fi Alliance has tested a product in
numerous configurations and with a diverse sampling of other devices to ensure compatibility with
other Wi-Fi CERTIFIED equipment that operates in the same frequency band. The Wi-Fi Alliance
network of independent test labs conducts interoperability testing programs to ensure that wireless
devices work together and support secure connections.
Wi-Fi CERTIFIED devices carry the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo and are available through major
electronics retailers. Choosing Wi-Fi CERTIFIED products allows one to mix and match devices
from different manufacturers, makes setting up ones network quick and easy, and lets one choose
the latest and greatest features and applications.

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Wi-Fi CERTIFIED products have to demonstrate that they can perform well in networks with
other Wi-Fi CERTIFIED products, running common applications, in situations similar to those
encountered in everyday use.
A focus on user experience has shaped the overall approach of the Wi-Fi Alliance certification
program: This pragmatic approach stems from three tenets, around which certification is centered:
Interoperability is the primary target of certification. Rigorous test cases are used to ensure that
products from different equipment vendors can interoperate in a wide variety of configurations.
Backward compatibility has to be preserved to allow for new equipment to work with existing
gear. Backward compatibility protects investments in legacy Wi-Fi products and enables users to
gradually upgrade and expand their networks.
Innovation is supported through the introduction of new certification programs as the latest
technology and specifications come into the marketplace. These certification programs may be
mandatory (e.g. WPA2) or optional (e.g. WMM). Equipment vendor differentiation and
inventiveness are preserved in areas that are not covered by certification testing.

The Wi-Fi Alliance certification process includes three types of tests to ensure interoperability.
Wi-Fi CERTIFIED products are tested for:

Compatibility: Certified equipment has been tested for connectivity with other certified
equipment. Compatibility testing has always been, and still is, the predominant
component of interoperability testing, and it is the element that most people associate
with "interoperability". It involves tests with multiple devices from different equipment
vendors. Compatibility testing is the program component that helps to ensure devices
purchased today will work with Wi-Fi CERTIFIED devices already owned or purchased
in the future.

Conformance: The equipment conforms to specific critical elements of

the IEEE 802.11 standard. Conformance testing usually involves standalone analysis of
individual products and establishes whether the equipment responds to inputs as expected
and specified. For example, conformance testing is used to ensure that Wi-Fi equipment
protects itself and the network when the equipment detects evidence of network attacks.

Performance: The equipment meets the performance levels required to meet end-user
expectations in support of key applications. Performance tests are not designed to
measure and compare performance among products, but simply to verify that the product
meets the minimum performance requirements for a good user experience as established
by the Wi-Fi Alliance. Specific performance tests results are not released by the Wi-Fi
Alliance.

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 Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Wi-Fi Direct

o Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Wi-Fi Direct is a certification mark for devices supporting a game-changing
new technology enabling Wi-Fi devices to connect directly, making it simple and convenient to
do things like print, share, synch and display. Products bearing the Wi-Fi Direct certification
mark can connect to one another without joining a traditional home, office or hotspot network.
o Mobile phones, cameras, printers, PCs, and gaming devices can now connect to each other
directly to transfer content and share applications quickly and easily. Devices can make a one-toone connection, or a group of several devices can connect simultaneously.
o Connecting Wi-Fi Direct-certified devices is easy and simple, in many cases only requiring the
push of a button. Moreover, all Wi-Fi Direct connections are protected by WPA2 the latest Wi-Fi
security technology. With Wi-Fi Direct, one does not need an access point or internet connection
ones personal Wi-Fi network goes with you wherever you go.

iii.

Wi-Fi in Automation
MobElectronic and electrical
equipment in the home or
commercial
buildings
have
largely been
discrete
and
independent systems control
and management of lighting,
temperature, access as well as
various alarms have been carried
out
by
separate
control
mechanisms. The field of
domotics
deals
with
the
automation of these systems and
recently has been receiving
increasing attention:
HVAC control is used to manage temperature and humidity in various parts of a building at
various times through, for example, a thermostat accessible over the Internet
Lighting control systems automatically turn on or off lights in a room, or control brightness and
color to create various ambiences
The operation of appliances such as washers, dryers, and sprinklers can be controlled to take
advantage of variations in the cost of utilities
Data read from sensors monitoring for gas leaks, breakage of glass, intrusion, movement, and
smoke can be used to quickly meet required safety measures while raising an appropriate level of
alarm.

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Overall, domotics provides not only greater degrees of comfort and safety but also savings in energy
cost. Core to domotics is connectivity, which has evolved to encompass various different methods.
Today, the most prevalent are mostly hard-wired with proprietary signaling, including dedicated cables
carrying discrete digital data, standardized RS-232 or RS-422 serial cable, Ethernet, and powerline.
Emerging wireless methods include Wi-Fi, Zigbee, and Bluetooth.

Connectivity in Automation
The installation of a means of connectivity is only part of the solution to the problem of automation.
The profusion of devices and appliances in the home has resulted in a large number of individual
remote control units that are hand-held, wall-mounted, free of user intervention, or linked to other
appliances. The greater goal of universal automation is the ability to control devices from a common
unit. This is not just a centralized controller but rather the ability to control the system from a
multitude of devices, as shown in Figure 1.
For example, a smartphone may run applications that control lighting and heating while displaying
any security alerts. A TV remote may be used to turn on sprinklers. The home computer may be the
nodal point for the collection and display of energy consumption information.
For all this to be possible, a measure of standardization is required in many tasks related to
connectivity. For example, while individual data formats that are used by an appliance may
be different from those used by other appliances, it is desirable that the method of
transferring that data across a network be commonly implemented.
One of the most prevalent means of providing for a common data transport method is
through the use of the IP protocol. IP is natively available on networks based on many
physical mechanisms Ethernet, DSL, wireless, and optical fiber.
The connection-less, packet-switching nature of the TCP/IP protocol makes it ideal for use in
heterogeneous networks spanning multiple hops from source to destination. TCP/IP based
transport is the basis of emerging home networks that service high speed data transfer needs
like file transfers, video streaming, and wireless audio as well as low-speed data for
applications such as sensor monitoring and control.

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These networks are comprised of individual segments of multiple types, including powerline
(HomePlug), Ethernet, coaxial(MoCA), and wireless (Wi-Fi). Along with meeting the needs of data
networking, these networks will also provide the backbone for automation traffic, resulting in a nearuniversal network. The increasing number of controllable devices in homes and the adoption of smart
energy have in part been fuelling the rapid growth of home automation.
Wi-Fi Remote Control turns a Wi-Fi enabled mobile phone or tablet into a universal PC remote
control. Android, Blackberry, Java and Windows Phone 8 mobile phones or tablets are usually
compatible with the Remote Control.

iv.

Different types of Wi-Fi enabled appliances

1) Door Locks
Lockitron is a keyless lock which can be unlocked using a Smartphones Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or NFC
capabilities. It doesnt replace the conventional lock, but fits over the existing one on the inside of
the door while retaining the smartphone communication.
The product is expected to ship
in March 2013. It is priced at
$149 on pre-order. A mobile
website / cloud backend ensures
that any smartphone can control
the unit, and it actually doesn't
need to be connected to the
local Wi-Fi network. The
consumer doesnt really need to
be tied down to an iOS or
Android device. Even older
phones can access the unit using
text messages. Importantly, the unit is based on the Atmel ATMega microcontroller, which is
compatible with Arduino. Simple API endpoints are available, and users can also decide to program
the unit themselves.
The LockState Connect LS-DB500i Wi-Fi deadbolt lock is another device slated to appear in the
market soon. The company has a video of the unit in operation. Even though the device uses Wi-Fi,
it seems to require only 4 AA batteries to operate (like other ZigBee / Z-Wave based devices).
Battery life comparison will be quite interesting.

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2) Lighting Control
Simple
control
of
lighting equipment can
be achieved through
Wi-Fi power switches.
However,
some
applications
require
dimming / brightness
adjustment capabilities.
National
Control
Devices offers a Wi-Fi
light
dimmer which
provides up to 255
different
brightness
levels controllable over a Wi-Fi connection. However, with a total cost of around $380, it is targeted
more towards industrial users rather than home automation. The ZigBee version costs around $320.
Wi-Fi may not appear to be cost effective right now, but this doesnt consider the external ZigBee
router / controller needed for operation.
LIFX is one of the recent Kick starter hits. The product is a Wi-Fi enabled LED light bulb. An
interesting aspect to note is that only the master light bulb is Wi-Fi enabled to connect to the wireless
network. The other bulbs communicate with each other and the master light bulb itself using a
ZigBee 802.15.4 mesh network (which consumes much less power compared to Wi-Fi right now).
However, the unit is quite costly, coming in at $69. As this market area garners more manufacturer
interest, pricing will become better.

3) Alarms / Remote Monitoring with Wi-Fi : IP Cameras with Motion Detection

This is one of the classic use cases where
Wi-Fi based home automation trumps
any other low power alternative. Over
the last few years, we have seen a
number of Wi-Fi enabled IP cameras
meant for surveillance purposes. At
AnandTech, we have even reviewed
some of them such as the DropcamEcho,
Compro IP70 and IP540. Technology
advancements have reached a point
where even 720p HD is available in IP
cameras such as the Dropcam HD. Ease
of use and control over Wi-Fi are some
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of the aspects that the manufacturers hope to get right in this market area. Almost all IP cameras can
be configured to provide feedback based on motion detection (without an explicit motion sensor).
Many of these devices can be controlled (Pan / Tilt / Zoom) using a computer or mobile app too.
Low power mesh networking technologies such as ZigBee and Z-Wave are simply incapable of the
bandwidth required for video streaming over IP. In this situation, Wi-Fi (or wired Ethernet) is an
option. As the control signals can easily piggy-back on the Wi-Fi / Ethernet connection, it really
makes no sense to add ZigBee or Z-Wave capabilities to IP cameras. The only reason could be
integration with an already existing home automation server, but, as we have taken effort to point
out, the whole HA industry is slowly shifting towards a Wi-Fi centric model.

4) Belkin WeMo
Power switching is a simple home automation application in which a device can be powered up or
down at the socket level remotely. Simple Wi-Fi switches such as theNetRC1 have been around
since early 2010. One of the first mainstream companies to enter into this space was Belkin. In this
section, we will take a look at two interesting Wi-Fi based power switches, the Belkin WeMo kits
and Visible Energys offerings.
Belkins WeMo lineup consists of two offerings, the plain WeMo Wi-Fi controlled switch ($50) and
the WeMo switch combined with a motion sensor ($100). Currently, only an iOS app is available for
controlling the switch.

A web-service called If This Then That works with these switches and allows bidirectional reaction
to events. For example, a event triggering the motion sensor on a particular unit could be used to
generate an email message. Similarly, an event happening on a website (say, a weather channel
website indicating that the sun has set at a particular location) can trigger a particular switch on.
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Currently, the device seems to be recommendable only to consumers in the Apple ecosystem
because of the absence of an Android app. It is not clear whether the unit is accessible from a
browser on the local network in the case that there is no access to the Internet and an iOS device is
not available. Similar to the walled garden being created by Nest, Belkin also refuses to document
the APIs officially. However, this has not prevented the communication methods from getting
exposed. The concerns that I voiced in the earlier section regarding Nest warrant a repetition here
too. Belkin does plan to add more Wi-Fi enabled home automation devices such as door locks and
light bulbs to this lineup. That is a positive compared to having a dedicated app with a different UI
for the thermostat alone. In any case, home automation system adopters should try to ensure that the
components being put in have well-documented control interfaces.
Advantages of using Wi-Fi for remote control instead of Bluetooth include faster response
time and greater range. Typically one will be able to remotely control ones PC from a distance
of up to 45 meters indoors.

The Belkin WeMo line is designed to bring Wi-Fi-connected, remote home

automation to the masses without expensive, whole home system upgrades. The
existing WeMo outlet is a little bulky, but it makes it possible to remotely power on
and off any device with a two or three-prong cord. Now, the company is debuting an
in-wall switch to make controlling your lighting from an app or the web (via IFTTT)
easier.

The WeMo Light Switch is here at CES, and we got a chance to go hands on (well,
really, single-finger on). The switch looks like a switch, and should work with
essentially any existing light switch in most modern homes. It can be managed from
the existing WeMo iOS app thats available for iPhone and iPad devices, which mean
youll be able to easily add them to your existing WeMo setup.

In practice, the WeMo was a step up and a step forward for Belkins line of home
automation product, beating out the WeMo outlet and motion detector products in
terms of their ability to mesh into your existing home decor. And the switch also
works as a physical switch, so that you can still turn it on and off manually. But while
it looks at first glance like a rocker-type switch, meaning my first inclination was to
tap the top, only hitting the bottom will actually activate the line or turn it off.

Theoretically, it could undergo a slight design tweak between now and then to
address that minor user experience issue, and even if the design doesnt change, its
an attractive, inexpensive way to add a little remote control to a house with otherwise
legacy lighting.

Belkin also says theyre finally addressing customer requests for an Android control
app for WeMo systems, with a beta launching soon for devices like the Galaxy S III,
and a wide launch planned for sometime around summer as well.

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5) Visible Energy
The search for an economical and
open Wi-Fi power switch ends
with Visible Energys UFO Power
Center and Monostrip. In addition to
the ability to power the outlets up and
down over Wi-Fi, they also provide
real time power usage feedback. Like
the WeMo, only an iOS app is
available right now. However, web
access is also provided using
the Visible Energy Web Dashboard.
The four-outlet UFO Power Center
comes in at $130, while the twosocket Monostrip comes in at $49.
Visible Energy also sells a version of
the Monostrip with temperature and
humidity sensors at $130.
The UFO power center has a strange
industrial
design,
while
the
Monostrip
is
a little
more
conventional in nature. While we are
looking at the two units from a Home
Automation
perspective,
the
company stresses the fact that the
products are more about conserving
electricity and creating a user friendly
energy management system.
The energy management goals make
it necessary for the product to have
real time power monitoring. This is a very useful feature (actually, the primary feature) present in
Visible Energys products when compared to other Wi-Fi enabled power switches. Power
consumption is calculated and refreshed every second. Energy usage is calculated 50 times a second
and the data is recorded at 5 minute intervals.
The real clincher is the availability of extensive developer documentation for accessing the energy /
power data and controlling the units. This makes it easy for third parties to create custom interfaces
in a home automation setting.

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6) Wi-Fi Internet radio

Wi-Fi Internet radio is such a wonderful device which is also called wireless music player. Internet
radio can obtain signals automatically and then play it via home Wi-Fi network. Now internet many
areas in the world and it has almost 1300 stations.
7) Wi-Fi SDIO
Through SDIO Wi-Fi move to a PDA market instead PC market. It is used to alternate PDA
capabilities into wireless enabled devices SDIO. Because of SDIO Wi-Fi has move to new era.
8) Wi-Fi Antenna
Antenna is used to optimize your connection. Many business companies, industries are getting
benefits from internet access with Wi-Fi hotspot, office and homes. Antenna provides signal
strength, safety and quick access via routers, access points etc.
9) Wi-Fi Access point
Access point is used to adjacent wireless network .It is just like a hub which transmitting data
between connected devices and make them a single device .Access point consent to wireless devices
to make possible conversation with other wired devices.
10) Wi-Fi Analyzer
Analyzer is a de facto tool used for troubleshooting and auditing wireless network. It helps the user
by detecting threats and other bugs from network and solved them quickly .It is one and only
diagnostic tool which enable a network to test and diagnose wireless performance issues such as
throughput, connectivity, device conflict and single multipath. Wi-Fi analyzer has a full compliance
reporting engine. It collects information required by user with policy and regulation.
11) Wi-Fi Analyzer Express
Wi-Fi Analyzer Express used to secure your system with the core and have ability to see devices and
detect problem automatically. Wi-Fi Analyzer Express identifies physical and generally problems
from specific devices. Troubleshooting and auditing made possible by Wi-Fi Analyzer Express. It
may perform a variety of functions such as detection, stop attacks to keep safe .It has also decoding
and filtering ability.
12) Wi-Fi Clearswift
Wi-Fi clearswift always view on messaging and all other web satisfied safety. Wi-Fi clearswift
conventionally proposes dissimilar appliance depend on the solutions for each. It is an interesting
and latest product used for mail product and small web transport the two things and together them
for the purpose to entry level application.
13) Wi-Fi Air Magnet
Wi-Fi airmagnet is the industry WLAN design for development solution .Is is used to ensure best
performance. Wi-Fi air magnet also handles security and compliance. To get most accurate most
organization use Wi-Fi airmagnet survey to gather real worlds signal, most expected performance,
and to get data range especially when you are doing a survey of any site. Wi-Fi airmagnet use to help
to measure performance and RF coverage in the most scientific way.
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14) Wi-Fi AUTOdoc

AUTOdoc is foremost software to generate a comprehensive report from firewall configuration files.
The report created by AUTOdoc can easily printable by printer when display on screen. Autodoc
perform multiple function such as table of contents with links, handling multiple boxes, export
HTML etc.
15) Wi-Fi Adapters
Adapters permit various devices to connect with cable less media to perform various type of external
or internal interconnects as PC cards, USB, PCI etc. New upcoming Laptop have internal adapters
because installation of internal card is really tough.
16) Wi-Fi Gateway
Wireless routers specifically configured by Wi-Fi gateway. You can easily purchase it because it is a
low cost router. You can purchase it from any near shop. Firmware control the unit is differing from
it because firmware forces the router for connection. so when you are going to purchase a Wi-Fi
router not exactly purchase firmware , you are make configuration hotspot Wi-Fi
17) Wi-Fi Routers
Switch and Ethernet used to join access point .Same as internal router provide DNS, NAT, and IP
application onward an incorporated Wi-Fi interface. Through these devices you can join more than
wireless connection into single WAN connection. There are different WAN devices such as modem.
DSL used for internet A Router allow these devices. Mostly access point and Router used to
configure as a central utility which is web server easy to go near wired or wireless LAN client.
18) Wi-Fi Bridge
Bridge is used to attach a wired network to wireless network. it is entirely different from access point
because bridge connect two or more than two wired network to wireless network infect access point
join only same network as wired with wired and wireless with wireless.
19) Wi-Fi F5 Networks
F5 was a load balancer but now offering lots of functions such as access controller, and safety to
your network. F5 Networks facilitate you with mail filtering and intelligent compression which make
possible fast downloading with lower bandwidth. It also keeps balance and management of local
traffic.
20) Wi-Fi AP manager
Wi-Fi AP manager is a great product of today which not only detect major threats, rough attack,
interruption and susceptibility but also providing various functionality such as checking, system
configuration with mouse click, assessment to firmware and strong security . Wi-Fi AP manager also
provide report about intricacy of Wi-Fi network.
21) Wi-Fi power supply
Wi-Fi power supply run your Wi-Fi system and always in a better physical condition to perform full
and complete attestation. Each unit of power supply is ready to go for drive every time.

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22) Wi-Fi bar code scanner

Wi-Fi bar code scanner continues their workflow in retail and intended to read stock keeping unit.
The use of bar code scanner in municipal application, industries and health care center is increasing
day by day with more benefits and items. The best quality of Wi-Fi bar code scanner is efficiency
and simplicity.
23) Wi-Fi Camera
Do you want to take picture of your beautiful moments and print them then Wi-Fi Camera is your
bet suite because Wi-Fi Camera exposes the electromagnetic space. The use of Wi-Fi Camera
increasing because now all business, offices, restaurant, caf and any other small or large business
used camera for security purposes or any other almost all progressed or progressive countries.
24) Wi-Fi Compact flash
Wi-Fi compact flash is a removable storage device. Its size is very small therefore you can easily
keep in pocket. Wi-Fi compact flash facilitate with PCMCIA_ATA usefully and companionably.
25) Wi-Fi Filter
Filter used for all channels of Wi-Fi. It can be used at position where other services are located. It
has the range of 2.4GHz band. Channel filter in use when other services are in process. Wi-Fi is
providing standard program for ETSI channels.
26) Wi-Fi Intrusion prevention system
An Intrusion prevention system is a security device used for a network to control network and
activities. It provides full support to unwanted behavior and blocks it in real time to prevent harmful
activities. When intrusion prevention system detects an attack it will drop the aberrant packets.

27) Wi-Fi Biometric

Biometrics contains process for exclusively be familiar with humans based upon one or more
inherent physical or behavioral individuality. Biometer is a finger print reader .There is no need have
enter PIN and it support 50times. Biometric always operate stand alone.

28) Wi-Fi Handhelds and PDAs

Almost all handsets and PDAs manufactures install Wireless network card to their products. PDAs
and other mobile devices scans Wi-Fi network around, if found can connect to network for Surfing
and file sharing.
In short there are many other products available for Wi-Fi such as Netapp, watch guard, proxy client
and so on .These all products which are available in market make Wi-Fi more efficient Capable,
safe, and reliable. Audio-Visual signal are for receiving & refusal of suitable and unacceptable
fingerprints.

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v.

Market Overview & Major Players

The global Wi-Fi market revenue is forecasted to reach $93.23 billion in 2018 from $40.13
billion in 2013, at an estimated CAGR of 15.08% during this period.
This global Wi-Fi market is forecasted by closely watching the market trends and analyzing
market drivers and restraints and their potential effect on the market.

The need for ubiquitous data connectivity has been ever growing in the current business
world and this demand would never diminish in future.
Among all the new technologies and standards that are built to meet this enormous demand,
Wi-Fi is the most mainstream technology to address this demand. The technology has
undergone a variety of transitions and is still growing across the globe.

The Wi-Fi market also has been driven by the shift into 5GHz and 60GHz bands enabling
multiple user configurations.
The massive growth in the number of Wi-Fi enabled devices such as smartphones, tablets,
laptops, game consoles and digital cameras has made the network service providers and WiFi product manufacturers to continuously innovate to meet customer demands.

The global Wi-Fi market report discusses the Wi-Fi market based on implementation models such as
indoor Wi-Fi, outdoor Wi-Fi and transportation Wi-Fi and their business models, global
advancements and adoption trends. It also analyzes the market forces and its impact on the market
and forecasts the revenue in each segment for the period 2013-2018.
This research report categorizes the global market for Wi-Fi by forecasting the revenues and
analyzing the trends in each of the following sub-markets:
Based on business models the Wi-Fi market is segmented into three categories which are
further classified based on deployment types.
Indoor Wi-Fi

Household

Enterprise

Commercial buildings

Outdoor Wi-Fi

Municipality networks (City-wide deployments)

Outdoor hotspots

Private networks

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Transportation Wi-Fi

Rail networks

In-Flight Wi-Fi and maritime Wi-Fi

Roadways

Based on products the Wi-Fi market is segmented into the following four categories.

Access points

Controllers

Wireless hotspot gateways

Others (Repeaters, relays)

Based on services the Wi-Fi market is segmented into four categories

Network planning and design

Installation

Support

Survey and analysis

Based on industry verticals the Wi-Fi market is segmented into seven categories.

Education

Healthcare

Hospitality

Infrastructure

Logistics and transportation

Public Sector

Others

Reports suggest that wireless carriers are exploring options to offload additional
coverage and capacity to alternatives such as strategically deployed small cells and Wi-Fi
access points, which have so far been deployed by more than 150 global wireless carriers.

Adding further to the heterogeneity are alternative deployment models such as

Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) and the emerging Cloud Radio Access Networks
(RAN) architecture which concentrates the processing of the RAN segment of a mobile
network in one or more centralized data centers.

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Driven by the thriving ecosystem, one can expect small cells and carrier Wi-Fi
deployments to account for nearly $352 Billion in mobile data service revenues by the
end of 2020, while overall spending on HetNet infrastructure is expected to reach $42
Billion annually during the same period.
This report presents an in-depth assessment of the global small cells and carrier Wi-Fi
market, together with an evaluation of the DAS and Cloud RAN technology. In addition to
covering the technology, business case, the challenges, standardization initiatives, the
industry's roadmap, value chain analysis, deployment case studies, vendor service/product
strategies and strategic recommendations.

On the first day of the Wi-Fi Global Congress, 2013 Richard Webb, Directing Analyst
at Infonetics Research spoke to delegates about some industry trends and what stakeholders
can expect from the Wi-Fi space moving forward.

The Wi-Fi market has been enjoying steady growth year on year for around the past six
years said Webb, thanks in part to the fact that providers have ceased considering Wi-Fi as a
dirty word. The technology has now very much been embraced by all industry players, with
the consistently increasing number of hotspots offered lending evidence to this. The
proliferation of Wi-Fi as a hotspot service is now very real.

The market has been driven along primarily by mobile operators, thanks to the
exponential growth in data demand creating a need for them to offload network traffic
over Wi-Fi. Another likely market driver coming soon according to Webb will be the
upgrading of Wi-Fi access points to the new Wi-Fi 802.11ac protocol.

The latest Infonetics predictions on the long-term growth of the sector; the analysts forecast
that Wi-Fi revenues will hit $3.9 billion in calendar year 2017, while the number of access
points will grow to 9.9 million revenues will hit $3.9 billion in calendar year 2017, while the
number of access points will grow to 9.9 million.

More and more carriers are turning to Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is key to one of the industry buzzwords currently cited as vital in mobile operator
business strategies; densification. Bringing blanket coverage and capacity to end-users
wherever they want it requires a blend of solutions and technologies to deliver it. As Richard
Webb, Directing Analyst at Infonetics Research pointed out; small cells are only a part of the
solution. Wi-Fi has to be complementary element of deployments strategies.

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Operators are even employing the term onload now, so keen are they to get traffic onto the
network by any means necessary, to continue meeting customer expectations and delivering a
high Quality of Experience (QoE). To help them achieve this, they are increasingly
realizing the value inherent to a collaborative cellular small cells and public Wi-Fi solution.

The end-user experience runs through the core of operators Wi-Fi deployment mentality too
now. Users have become adept at searching for Wi-Fi the moment they enter a venue today,
with taking their smartphones out of their pocket and checking for a Wi-Fi network signal the
moment they enter a mall, airport, stadium or similar is now simply second nature.

The economics of offload are also important to mobile operators Wi-Fi delivers them
lowest cost per bit, a factor which gains significance as indoor usage increases in
prevalence over outdoor use.
The economics are also present in the next key development in the industry Hotspot 2.0,
the mechanism that brings Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity together in one box and gives endusers a product which is more than the sum of its parts.

The Market Leaders

Cisco continues to lead the global carrier Wi-Fi equipment market in 2012.
Cisco said its wireless revenue increased marginally to $523 million in Q3 FY 2013 from $520 million.
Cisco Chairman and CEO John Chambers said that cloud, mobility and video are coming together to
deliver the Internet of Everything.

The second largest player is Ruckus Wireless in the global carrier Wi-Fi equipment market in
2012.

Ericsson is in the third position.

Interestingly, all the three top carrier Wi-Fi equipment vendors achieved significant year-overyear growth in the market.
Infonetics

Research

says

carrier

Wi-Fi

equipment revenue, including carrier Wi-Fi

access points and Wi-Fi hotspot controllers,
increased 53 percent worldwide in 2012 from
2011.
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The carrier Wi-Fi space is red hot right now, driven by the explosion in demand from mobile operators
using Wi-Fi to augment their 3G/4G deployments and offload a portion of mobile data traffic to
unlicensed spectrum, said Richard Webb, directing analyst for microwave and carrier Wi-Fi at
Infonetics Research.

Telecom operators are embracing Wi-Fi to offload excess data and enhance the broadband
experience for users. For the long-term success of carrier Wi-Fi, though, integration with the mobile
network is key.

Dual mode cellular/Wi-Fi access points began shipping in 2012 and are expected to undergo significant
growth as more and more mobile operators build out carrier Wi-Fi networks

Mobile operators are in the midst of a land-grab, rapidly claiming prime small cell locations by
deploying carrier Wi-Fi and then later replacing the Wi-Fi access points with dual mode 3G/Wi-Fi and
LTE/Wi-Fi small cells.

The global carrier Wi-Fi equipment market is forecast by Infonetics to top $3.9 billion by 2017,
primarily driven by mobile operators deploying carrier Wi-Fi for data offload.

Entry of new players

In a May 10, 2012 note, Infonetics said it anticipates new players will enter the carrier Wi-Fi equipment
market, disrupting early market share
standings, and, with growing demand
for Wi-Fi integrated base stations
from mobile operators, carrier Wi-Fi
market share could shift toward the
mobile infrastructure vendors

While

all

experiencing
carrier

world

regions

are

robust

demand

for

Wi-Fi,

Asia

Pacific

especially China, Indonesia and

Indiawill be the strongest drivers
of growth through 2017.

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Carrier Wi-Fi equipment revenue, including

carrier Wi-Fi access points and Wi-Fi hotspot
controllers, jumped 53 per cent worldwide in
2012 from 2011, finds market research firm
Infonetics Research.
With a surge in interest from nearly the entire
mobile industry (save a few established 3G/LTE
giants) in seamless Wi-Fi offload, the time has
come for India too. In many ways India is nothing
less than the textbook case for Wi-Fi: Very high
subscriber density in the cities, a presumed pentup demand for data connectivity, and very little 3G spectrum to work with.

There are many case studies of successful Wi-Fi offload deployments around the world. But, the
most relevant for Indian operators is that of China Mobile China Mobile has industrialized Wi-Fi
offload with deployment of over 3.8 million hotspots. Close to 50% of all the data traffic generated
through mobile handsets is routed on Wi-Fi, thus significantly reducing the congestion on its licensed,
cellular spectrum. One of the primary reasons for wide-scale Wi-Fi deployment in China is the slow
uptake of TD-SCDMA (Chinas version of 3G) and lack of adequate TD-SCDMA devices available for
the consumers. This has significantly improved the adoption of data services by the consumers and the
quality of service offered by the operator.
As far as the performance is concerned, Carrier-grade Wi-Fi is a far cry from buying a simple Wi-Fi
router from the corner electronics shop. Modern IEEE 802.11n systems support multiple bands and
can bond channels together to reach throughput rates of more than 100 Mbps per access point.
Compared to 3G at 5 MHz, this is pretty much a no-brainer. Typical carrier-grade Wi-Fi deployments
far exceed the capacity delivered by typical LTE networks and approach similar levels to LTE in enduser data rates.

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Suggested Marketing Strategies

a. Market Scope
The market for Wi-Fi enabled switches is growing and still untapped with consumers being more
and more inclined towards Wi-Fi enabled appliances. It is majorly the big players like Belkin &
Ruckus who have ventured into the market. Under such circumstances, a Multi Market Strategy
could be adopted where the product would serve several distinct markets. This would require a
careful selection of the segments to serve and avoidance of confrontation with the companies
which are serving the entire market.

b. Market Entry
Since the entry is aimed at the tail end of the growth phase with the established leaders already
serving the market, the Laggard Entry Strategy could be adopted. The two modes of such entry
are 1. As an Initiator or 2. As an imitator. As an initiator, the entry into the market would be by
way of an unconventional market strategy. This would require the ability to generate creative
marketing strategies and market research ability. As an imitator, the entry into the market would
be by way of a me-too product. This would require market research ability and strong
production capability.

c. Marketing Mix

Product Design & Product Positioning Strategy

It is advisable to place the brand in that part of the market where it will have a favorable
reception compared with competing brands. Right positioning is very important so that it can
stand competition from the toughest rival & maintain it by creating aura of distinctive
products.
Suggested Product Design
The product design strategy deals with the degree of standardization of the product. The
company can opt for standard product with modifications. Since the focus is on Wi-Fi

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enabled switches, keeping the focus on the product, to meet the requirements of a greater
number of consumers, slight modifications in the basic product can be suggested.

The product should be compatible with all available home routers : Cisco being the
leader in home routers has gone for a forward integration & come up with similar
products. So it is very likely that a customer of Cisco Home Router would obviously
go for Cisco smart switches instead of any other brands

Apart from targeting fresh customer we should come up with a lighter version so that
the existing users can be tapped. So may be we can go for a different version of a
product aimed at converting the traditional switches to smart switches

The Wi-Fi smart switch could come in two versions- a multi touch version and
another with a traditional rocker. Both versions will have a built-in motion sensor. As
most of the Wi-Fi enabled switches like Belkin WeMo are compatible with the Apple
I-phone, this product could be made compatible not only with the I-phone but also
with Android OS and other popular Operating Systems.

The product is suggested to primarily focus on the DIY crowd for home automation. It may
be suggested that even though the main focus of the product is on home automation, the
marketing of the product should not only be restricted to that. It can also be aimed at
businesses say for example at the hotel market or even schools and other businesses where
the demand for discreet but widespread Wi-Fi points is growing rapidly. There is a huge
demand for tools that can expand Wi-Fi networks while removing the issue of affecting
building infrastructures. The switches aimed at businesses would need modifications as has
been mentioned in the suggested product design. The product should be able to allow the
integration of high-speed 802.11n Wi-Fi technology with wired Ethernet ports into a wall
socket that can fit into any standard US or European Union electrical junction box.
Pricing Strategy
The suggested pricing strategy would be Penetration Pricing Strategy. The major player for
Wi-Fi enabled switches for home have prices fixed somewhere around $50 per unit and for
the ones with motion sensor the price ranges to around $100 per unit. In order to derive an
advantage over the existing players in the market, the switch should be priced within $30-$40
per unit and the one with motion sensors within $70-$75 per unit. As for the Wi-Fi switches
meant for businesses, the major players are launching their product at somewhere around
$250 per unit. Therefore, the product should be priced between $180-$200 per unit range to
get an advantage over the big players.

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Distribution Strategy
The ideal distribution strategy would be to have a Multiple channel distribution model.
Products should be made available to all the online portals that deals with home improvement
products (for eg : lowes.com, homedepot.com, doitbest.com, home-improvementsuperstore.com, amazon.com etc). This would help to target household consumers where as
appointing Wholesale distributors & retailers and engineered system Distributors would help
to get bulk deals. The major volumes will be dictated by the later one. Majority of the sales
volume is in the hands of the construction companies and builders. So in order to tap them
Authorized Distribution channel set up will be the driving factor to ensure sales volume.

Suggestions and recommendations

Home Automation technologies have remained out of reach of the mainstream consumers for a long time. The
high cost and custom installer requirements have restricted them to high end homes. The multitude of
technologies in this space has also been detrimental to the adoption rate. However, from the above findings it
can be concluded that the rise of smartphones and tablets has suddenly brought about a big shift in the
landscape.
Wi-Fi networks have become ubiquitous in almost every home now. Smart device manufacturers have realized
the advantages of integrating Wi-Fi instead of ZigBee or Z-Wave in their products. Some aspects such as power
consumption range and, to some extent, costs are still not optimal with Wi-Fi. However, with silicon vendors
becoming active in this market segment and work progressing well on the 802.11ah front, these will be
addressed soon.
In home automation terminology, 'scenes' refer to the linking of devices in intelligent ways based on events.
Simple device-based control using a mobile app opens the door. But, one also needs a central device which
can perform the orchestration. This makes it necessary for specialized protocols to have dedicated
controllers. In a pure Wi-Fi based system, one can see this orchestration running as an app on the router.
For example, Netgear allows third-party developers to write apps for their routers using Java and post them in
the Genie marketplace. If the HA devices have open APIs and developer documentation, creation of scenes in a
pure Wi-Fi based system will probably not require a dedicated controller.
Millions of households are setting up wireless networks not just for PCs, but for other Wi-Fi enabled devices,
too. The ease with which users can connect household devices has been the main reason for the quick uptake of
Wi-Fi and the ease with which the lights, fans etc at home can be managed with the help of Wi-Fi enabled home
automation devices has been the primary reason for the growing demand for such products in the world.
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The most important takeaway is that home automation products, particularly Wi-Fi based ones, will see an
uptick in adoption.
This will, in turn, fuel the development of more innovative HA devices like Wi-Fi switches. This will be a boon
for consumers who already have a HA system in place. As for the users who are starting afresh, they would
prefer not get tied down with a closed system.
Products such as Nest and BelkinWeMo may boast of excellent industrial design and a great feature set.
However, unless they open up the APIs and access for third parties to create a common custom home
automation interface, they can't be recommended.
This in turn opens up market for new Wi-Fi enabled appliances to be launched in the near future.

A host of Wi-Fi enabled HA products and concepts have already started capturing the attention of the
consumers. Coupled with the rapid rise in Wi-Fi based home automation, the talk of an 'Internet of Things' will
soon become a mainstream reality.

MRD For Wi-Fi Enabled Appliances Zreyas Technology Inc.

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