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As Wi-Fi hotspots proliferate, Wi-Fi is being used in different ways, reported In-Stat. Hotspots are no longer the realm of the corporate traveler, but are becoming common for personal use as well, the high-tech market research firm said.

“Service providers are reporting an increased number of sessions originating from devices other than laptops,” said Daryl Schoolar, In-Stat analyst. “Consumer electronic devices, such as cell phones and handheld gaming devices, have also added Wi-Fi as a product feature.”

Recent research by In-Stat found the following:

- According to surveys, users still expect free access.
- WiMAX, and the abundance of free access, will limit future revenue growth.
- One of the big drawbacks to muni-network services is that the network has limited coverage indoors, where people use hotspots the most.

The research, “More Than Just Laptops — Worldwide Hotspots are Impacted by Other Mobile Devices” covers the worldwide market for Wi-Fi hotspots. It provides five-year forecasts for worldwide deployments, including traditional single-site locations and municipal networks, segmented by global region and by venue. It also includes five-year subscriber revenue forecasts, segmented between North America and the rest of the world, and In-Stat’s views on how to grow revenues. It also covers recent happenings in the municipal network market and its issues with coverage.