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But even as as new research from TheInfoPro shows more and more enterprises jumping on the 802.11n bandwagon, the same research shows that some 40 percent of enterprises still show absolutely no interest in the technology.

That just floors me. I just couldn't understand why enterprise CIOs would snub such an obviously useful, stable, and affordable technology, so I asked Bill Trussell, managing director of networking research for TheInfoPro, what was going on with n.

First off, Trussell made it clear that 802.11n is enjoying a significant growth curve. Increasing wireless LAN bandwidth is the hottest data network infrastructure solution right now. He couldn't tell me how pervasive n was within the enterprise, but said 20 percent of enterprises are already using it in at least some areas, and another 40 percent are planning to do so. That includes new wireless installations as well as "rip-and-replace" projects involving earlier 802.11a/b/g systems.

But that leaves an unbelievable 40 percent happily ignoring 802.11n, even as consumers and small businesses embrace the technology as quickly as they can.

Why? What are they waiting for?

"By their own admission," Trussell says, "some organizations are deliberate late adopters." They want the prices to come down and the bugs to come out before they commit to a new technology.

That might make sense in many cases, but it's hard to see the logic in this case. The millions and millions of consumer 802.11n adapters and access points sold to consumers and small businesses have already driven down costs to only a slight premium over 802.11g equipment, and there's been plenty of time to discover any bugs. I haven't heard of anything in that area, have you?

So what are we left with? Being a late adopter for the sake of being a late adopter? Is that any way to run a business?