The $6.8 billion slated for wireless communication upgrades and deployments in the next two years will benefit vendors and increase wireless technologies’ penetration into new industries, says a report from ABI Research.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) “represents a windfall for wireless service providers as well as for satellite service providers,” said ABI Vice President Stan Schatt in a report. “[It] will have an enormous impact on Wi-Fi and wireless broadband vendors. It will also immediately benefit a number of specific vertical industries, including healthcare, education, homeland security, the environment and the nation’s electricity infrastructure.”

The research firm cites the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection as “potential goldmines” for wireless vendors. These agencies are likely to use stimulus funds for tactical communications equipment, infrastructure equipment and security equipment. Even critical infrastructure construction projects such as bridges and tunnels often require wireless video surveillance systems, said ABI.

Another example is healthcare, which will likely add wireless capabilities into day-to-day operations through Wi-Fi-enabled mobile devices and sensors, communications systems linking health networks, telepresence, wireless LAN equipment and Wi-Fi-enabled video surveillance systems.

Education is already a leading adopter of Wi-Fi solutions, said ABI, and equipment vendors are developing templated solutions like WLAN equipment and software to track students’ progress for “No Child Left Behind” record keeping.

“Many of the spending opportunities lie ‘under the surface’,” Schatt said. “A civil engineering project which seems mainly about concrete and steel may actually benefit from a lot of wireless technology. And because vendors can’t apply for funds themselves, they are – and should be – doing everything in their power to help their customers do so.”