According to a recent five-year forecast and report from ElectroniCast Consultants (www.electronicastconsultants.com), global fiber-optic connector and mechanical splice consumption will reach $3.462 billion by 2011, compared to the $1.401 billion that was seen in 2006. The market research firm says that consumption value will increase with strongly rising quantity growth partially offset by declining average prices.
The 2006 – 2011 forecast of North American, European, Japan/Pacific Rim, and Rest of World consumption notes that North America led in global consumption with 47.1% ($660 million) in 2006; this is expected to expand in value to $1.43 billion by 2011. The study reports that connector consumption in this region will be driven by growth of relatively shorter links used in private data and local loop networks.
European fiber-optic connector consumption, at 21.5% in 2006, is led by the European Union member states as they transition to open competition in delivery of broadband services to business and residential customers. The fastest growth in connector consumption is forecasted to occur in Japan/Pacific Rim with an average annual growth rate of 25.5% from 2006 – 2011. The Rest of World (including South America) region, stimulated by favorable national economic policies and the trend toward telecom liberalization, also shows the potential for high growth – 15.3% average annual growth rate, to reach $158 million by 2011.