Wi-Fi® global economic value to reach $5 trillion in 2025

New study finds Wi-Fi® is a major global economic engine

Austin, TX – February 3, 2021 – A new study commissioned by Wi-Fi Alliance® estimates the current annual global economic value of Wi-Fi® will reach $3.3 trillion in 2021, and projects it will reach $4.9 trillion by 2025. These forecasts suggest an increase of nearly $3 trillion in value from 2018 to 2025 – a 150 percent growth – underscoring Wi-Fi is a very significant global economic engine.

Wi-Fi’s economic value in 15 economies was assessed based on several key factors and global developments impacting the Wi-Fi industry. Calculations of each factor – including free Wi-Fi access, residential and enterprise savings, Wi-Fi 6 adoption, availability of 6 GHz spectrum, and the coronavirus pandemic – were combined with implications specific to each country to develop the economic value.

Key findings from the report demonstrate Wi-Fi contributes:

  • Australia: $34.7 billion in economic value today, $41.7 billion by 2025
  • Brazil: $105.2 billion in economic value today, $124.3 billion by 2025
  • Colombia: $18.9 billion in economic value today, $41.4 billion by 2025
  • European Union: $457.6 billion in economic value today, $637.2 billion by 2025
  • France: $62.5 billion in economic value today, $104 billion by 2025
  • Germany: $134.5 billion in economic value today, $173.3 billion by 2025
  • Japan: $251.1 billion in economic value today, $324.9 billion by 2025
  • Mexico: $56.6 billion in economic value today, $117.5 billion by 2025
  • New Zealand: $6.7 billion in economic value today, $9.8 billion by 2025
  • Poland: $16.1 billion in economic value today, $21.6 billion by 2025
  • Singapore: $10.6 billion in economic value today, $12.4 billion by 2025
  • South Korea: $89.3 billion in economic value today, $139.5 billion by 2025
  • Spain: $40.4 billion in economic value today, $54.1 billion by 2025
  • United Kingdom: $98.8 billion in economic value today, $108.5 billion by 2025
  • United States: $995 billion in economic value today, $1.58 trillion by 2025

“Wi-Fi is one of the great technology success stories, and Wi-Fi’s economic contribution gives it a leading role as a global economic engine,” said Edgar Figueroa, president and CEO, Wi-Fi Alliance. “As the world relies on Wi-Fi to support our daily lives, Wi-Fi Alliance remains committed to ensuring the unlicensed spectrum landscape will accommodate tremendous Wi-Fi innovation on the horizon.”

Wi-Fi has proven to improve economic resiliency and its value continues to increase as next generation devices and deployments become available. Wi-Fi 6 and future generations of Wi-Fi, coupled with access to 6 GHz spectrum, provide the capacity, coverage, and performance required to give quality experiences in demanding environments and further contribute to Wi-Fi’s economic growth by 2025. Wi-Fi enables advanced services and applications and is a key component in global efforts to bridge the digital divide in rural and isolated geographies.

“Wi-Fi’s inherent strengths have driven the global economic value to new levels and proved to be the answer for meeting the growing demand for connectivity,” said Dr. Raul Katz, study lead author and President of Telecom Advisory Services. “Wi-Fi has played a critical role for consumers and businesses during the pandemic. It is important to ensure sufficient spectrum to continue its social and economic benefits now and in the future.”                                                                                                                                         

Details on key factors driving Wi-Fi value are available in the study. Please visit www.valueofwifi.com for more information.

 

About the study
Wi-Fi Alliance commissioned a study from Telecom Advisory Services (TAS), headed by Dr. Raul Katz, to analyze the economic contribution of Wi-Fi in 2021 and forecast to 2025. The study focuses on 15 world economies, and then calculates an estimated global value. Country-specific evaluations for Australia, Brazil, Colombia, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, United Kingdom, United States, as well as a European Union estimate are included.

 

About Wi-Fi Alliance®
www.wi-fi.org
Wi-Fi Alliance® is the worldwide network of companies that brings you Wi-Fi®. Members of our collaboration forum come together from across the Wi-Fi ecosystem with the shared vision to connect everyone and everything, everywhere, while providing the best possible user experience. Since 2000, Wi-Fi Alliance has completed more than 65,000 Wi-Fi certifications. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ seal of approval designates products with proven interoperability, backward compatibility, and the highest industry-standard security protections in place. Today, Wi-Fi carries more than half of the internet’s traffic in an ever-expanding variety of applications. Wi-Fi Alliance continues to drive the adoption and evolution of Wi-Fi, which billions of people rely on every day.

 

Media Contact:
Stephanie Burke
Highwire PR for Wi-Fi Alliance
wi-fi@highwirepr.com
(415) 692-0745 ext. 116