ZigBee Emerges As the Wireless Mesh Network of Choice

The research firm, In-Stat says that it believes that because of the clarity of the ZigBee standard, the organizational strength of the ZigBee Alliance and the involvement of several of the world's largest semiconductor companies, ZigBee will emerge as the dominant wireless mesh networking technology.

Wireless mesh networks are a mosaic of proprietary and non-proprietary implementations. The IEEE 802.15.4 Working Group was designed to create unified standards for short-range, self-configuring mesh networks. ZigBee is a networking layer that is built on top of the IEEE 802.15.4 standard. The ZigBee Alliance is an organization that has been the keeper of the ZigBee standard and is an open community of 200 companies that is charged with the promotion of the technology and testing of equipment.

"ZigBee is designed to create interoperability among silicon vendors and facilitate common software and profile platforms for end-users in specific applications," says Chris Kissel, In-Stat analyst. "The addition of ZigBee to 802.15.4 gives an OEM or other end-user the assurance of multiple sources of silicon."

Recent research by In-Stat found the following:

• In 2006, In-Stat estimates between 4.5 million and 10.5 million ZigBee RF components will be sold.
• Commercial building control is, and will continue to be, the largest 802.15.4/ZigBee application.
• In 2005, North America represented 53% of all 802.15.4/ZigBee nodes in use.

Posted to the site on 7th November 2006