Half of Europe's telcos choose Bluetooth for short-range data transfer

Cambridge Consultants Limited research shows Bluetooth is dominant

Over 50 per cent of key decision-makers in the European telecommunications industry predict Bluetooth technology will dominate the short-range data transfer market according to a new survey.

The 'World Without Wire' survey of managing directors and chief technology officers from Europe's most influential telecommunications companies, conducted by Cambridge Consultants Ltd (CCL), also indicates that Bluetooth will prevail as the dominant product in the domestic market. 77 per cent of respondents predicted up to five Bluetooth appliances in the average western home by 2002.

In the survey, designed to establish industry trends in the uptake of short-range data transfer products:

52 per cent of respondents recognised Bluetooth as the market leader in the workplace
61 per cent of respondents recognised Bluetooth as the market leader in the home
77 per cent of respondents were confident that between one and five Bluetooth products would appear in western homes by 2002
42 per cent of respondents thought that office systems were the fastest growing area for the short range data transfer market, but 27 per cent saw home entertainment as the biggest growth area
53 per cent of respondents predicted that localised information would be the primary market for news delivered through mobile handsets, with news, stock prices and traffic information all accounting for 9 per cent of the market.

According to Paul Ruskin, head of the telecoms, IT, media and electronics (TIME) practice at CCL, "Wireless technology will blur the traditional boundaries between product areas. Existing business models will have to adapt to remain relevant to people's needs. The different products we see today will be broken apart, rearranged, and linked together through the use of wireless communications".

Notes for editors:

Cambridge Consultants develops breakthrough products, creates and licenses intellectual property, and provides business consultancy in technology critical issues for clients worldwide. For over 50 years, the company has been helping its clients turn business opportunities into commercial successes, whether they are launching first-to-market products, entering new markets or expanding existing markets through the introduction of new technologies. With a team of over 300 engineers, designers, scientists and consultants, in offices in Cambridge (UK) and Boston (USA), Cambridge Consultants offers solutions across a diverse range of industries including medical technology, industrial and consumer products, transport, energy, cleantech and wireless communications.

Created by three Cambridge graduates in 1960, the company has grown into a leading technology business, renowned worldwide for its ability to solve technical problems and provide innovative, practical solutions to commercial issues. In 2009, the company was awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade, and in 2011 was awarded a second Queen's Award, this time for Innovation. For more information visit: www.CambridgeConsultants.com

Cambridge Consultants is part of Altran, global leader in innovation and high-tech engineering consulting. Altran supports companies in the creation and development of their new products and services. For thirty years, the Group has been providing services to key players in the fields of Aerospace, Automotive, Energy, Railways, Finance, Healthcare, and Telecoms. Present at every stage of project development from new-technology strategic planning through to manufacturing, Altran is able to capitalise on its expertise in four key domains: Product Lifecycle Management, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering & Embedded Systems and IT Systems. With a global network of 17,000 collaborators (including 15,000 consultants) and 500 major clients throughout the world, the Group reported sales of €1,420m in 2011. More info: www.altran.com

For further information:

Cambridge Consultants

Patrick Pordage
Marketing Communications Director
Tel: +44 1223 420024
Patrick.Pordage@CambridgeConsultants.com