Wi-Fi usage booming in the home, says analyst

LONDON — Nearly a fifth of broadband subscribers across the U.S. and Europe now use Wi-Fi to share their Internet connection between PCs and other devices, according to market research group Strategy Analytics.

According to the report, 7 percent of all households, or 19 million , now have a wireless network. The U.S. leads the field with 8.4 percent penetration, followed by the Nordic region with 7.9 percent. Wi-Fi usage in the UK (6.1 percent) and Germany (5.1 percent) is below the average.

"Wi-Fi has become the preferred networking technology for affluent early adopters," notes David Mercer, Principal Analyst at Strategy Analytics. "Rising ownership of laptop PCs and other portable Internet devices will make Wi-Fi the dominant home networking choice for most broadband subscribers."