Europe, West-Pac Favor Microwave Backhaul

According to ABI Research (www.abiresearch.com), CAPEX for microwave backhaul will peak in Western Europe this year at almost $4.4 billion, more than triple the figure for the next-highest region, Asia-Pacific. The European spending surge is attributed to the expansion of 3G networks to new areas, as well as a few initial 4G network deployments.Virtually all world regions are expected to see some increase in microwave backhaul CAPEX over 2011-2013, followed by a gradual decline. The reasons vary by location. In Asia, many 3G networks will be rolled out during that period, and others will be expanded to reach remote, underserved areas.In the United States, the prevalence of fiber-optic cable in many parts of the country combined with the high cost of tower leasing mean that interest in microwave as a backhaul solution is lower than anywhere else.