One in five broadband users in the US and Europe is hooked up to a wireless network in their home, prompting analysts Strategy Analytics to suggest that Wi-Fi is emerging as a "mass market phenomenon".

The report found that seven per cent of all households now have a wireless network. The US is the leading market with 8.4 per cent penetration, followed by the Nordics with 7.9 per cent.

In the UK penetration rates are at 6.1 per cent and 5.1 per cent in Germany.

When the numbers are crunched to include just broadband users, the survey found that 20 per cent of broadband subscribers across the US and Europe now use Wi-Fi to share their internet connection between PCs and other devices.

"Wi-Fi has become the preferred networking technology for affluent early adopters," analyst David Mercer said. "Rising ownership of laptop PCs and other portable internet devices will make Wi-Fi the dominant home networking choice for most broadband subscribers." ®