Electronic transport properties of hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon films prepared by hot-wire CVD have been discussed. Near room temperature, the photo-transport occurs by thermionic emission of electrons over potential barriers between grain boundaries. The potential barrier height, which dominates the carrier mobility, decreases with increasing illumination intensity. The mobility-lifetime product (10(-7)-10(-8) cm(2)V(-1) at 300 K obtained experimentally is comparable with those obtained in films prepared by plasma enhanced CVD. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.