ElectroniCast Consultants (www.electronicastconsul tants.com) has released the second of two studies in 2008, this one detailing the global market consumption and technology trends of fiber-optic component/module type attenuators. ElectroniCast estimates the worldwide consumption value of fiber-optic attenuators will reach $136 million, an increase of nearly 9% over 2007.
This report examines the historic year of 2006 and 2007 and provides a five-year (2008-2012) forecast of the consumption of fixed (inline and panel-mount/bulkhead) and variable (manually controlled and electronically controlled) optical attenuators (VOAs and EVOAs).
"Solid-state attenuators are electronically controlled with various technology methods," explains Stephen Montgomery, president of ElectroniCast Asia-Pacific (APAC). "Advantages include the fastest tuning speed and uninterrupted inline adjustment; however, the EVOA disadvantage includes cost and possibly a design that resets to zero attenuation in the event of a power loss to the tuning circuit," he says.
In 2006, electronically controlled (including remotely controlled) variable optical attenuators (EVOAs) reached a global consumption value of $65.5 million and $72.7 million last year (calendar year 2007). By year 2012, the consumption value of EVOAs is projected to reach $153.4 million, says ElectroniCast (see figure).