Logan Orviss comments on health issues of WiFi

The validity of the latest WiFi health scares has no bearing on the impact of such negative publicity on future growth claims Logan Orviss

Logan Orviss International, one of EMEA's largest telecommunications consultancy groups, today commented on reports from publications including The Economist and The Independent about the health risks of WiFi.

It was reported that bees' navigation systems can be rendered useless and the health of children compromised by increased radio waves and electronic 'smog.' "It doesn't matter whether these reports are 'true' or not," said Hugh Roberts, senior strategist for Logan Orviss International.

"If consumer confidence is shaken it will alter their behaviour and purchasing decisions".

"Would you want to take the chance on your child's brain development if they are sleeping underneath a WiFi access node? You can draw some similarities with the microwave scare of the 1980's, which created an initial 95 per cent decline in sales and had only recovered to circa 50 per cent after 18 months".

Logan Orviss notes that the size of the UK's WiFi market presently consists of large numbers, and a shake up in consumer confidence could threaten further growth:.

* There are currently 35,000 public hotspots.

* Metropolitan centres are rolling out WiFi access, including London's City (through The Cloud) and even Aberdeen.

* 20 per cent of the population owns wireless-enabled laptops.

* 50 per cent of primary schools, and 80 per cent of secondary schools have WiFi (and the first has just dismantled part of its Wi-Fi infrastructure on health and safety grounds).

Roberts continues: "It is important to consider what happens to the business models and competitive positioning of telecoms service providers, and other players in the communications value chain, if a major element of the current infrastructure development landscape is taken away".

"WiFi could be viewed by some as dispensable if the reports continue or more evidence-heavy research is announced".

"On the other hand, mobile handsets are becoming such a centre-point of people's lives that mobile operators are unlikely to experience a dramatic loss in sales from this latest scare".

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