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Research and Markets has announced the addition of “European Telematics & ITs -- The Opportunities for Cellular, Wi-Fi and WiMAX in Telematics” to its offering.

This report provides an overview of the current and near-future technologies being developed to support mobile data communications in Europe. The main aim of the report is to identify the key characteristics of each bearer, their deployment status and their suitability for telematics.

Modern business demands quick and constant communications channels, fueling ever-more efficient and speedy transfer of data, through mobile telephones, laptop computers and hand-held devices. As 3G telephone services are enhanced toward (an as yet undefined) 4G level and the concept of Wi-Fi connection hotspots is expanded to much wider WiMAX coverage, we have investigated the real-world capabilities of these data channels and the actual requirements for delivering telematics solutions.

The new report, “The opportunities for cellular, Wi-Fi and WiMAX in telematics” provides a clear overview and comparison of the key characteristics of each technology, including their quality of service, cost of access, cost of devices, service coverage, mobility and data speed. These findings provide the basis for evaluating their relative suitability as a bearer for vehicle telematics applications.

The research shows that, although Wi-Fi and WiMAX can deliver benefits to the end-user in terms of operating speed, convenience and cost, they remain limited in their scope for in-car use compared to cellular.

David McClure, director of ITS and telematics said, “Speed is the factor that’s currently driving the development of technologies such as Wi-Fi and WiMAX, but in a car it’s not so crucial, as the volume of data typically being generated is relatively small. The study shows that for now and in the near future, cellular technology will offer the best all-round service for vehicle telematics in Europe as it continues to offer coverage, mobility and quality of service that’s better suited to use when on the move in a vehicle.”

The research includes full details on the evolution of cellular bearers from 2G to 4G, standards and availability of Wi-Fi hotspots, the development, availability and outlook for WiMAX, and the early prospects for Mobile-Fi.