ElectroniCast: Long-haul, high-data rate applications to drive modulator market

Aug. 1, 2008
AUGUST 1, 2008 -- During the forecast period, bandwidth expansion demands will push for creation of new network links, incorporating metro core, metro/access, long haul, WDM, OADM, and other system-based deployments, the company adds.

AUGUST 1, 2008 -- ElectroniCast Consultants (search for ElectroniCast), in a new market forecast and analysis report, says that long-haul and high-data-rate links are forecasted to capture the global optical modulator market share lead during the 2007-2012 timeline. During the forecast period, bandwidth expansion demands will push for creation of new network links, incorporating metro core, metro/access, long haul, WDM, OADM, and other system-based deployments, the company adds.

Competitive alternatives to electro-optical (E-O) including electro-absorption (EA), indium phosphide (InP), and Mach-Zehnder (M-Z) modulator integration among others are being developed. Packaging is a key driver, along with the main multiple: economics.

"Without the cost-effectiveness (competitive unit price-points) of the component and a suitable package, as well as meeting customer specification demands, a particular modulator will not be successful. The technology advancements are secondary to the packaging and cost issues," said Stephen Montgomery, president of ElectroniCast Consultants � APAC and the director of the fiber optics component group at the firm.

The report presents the optical modulator market in three segments: EA type, E-O type, and "other." In 2007, E-O optical communication external modulators, typically utilizing lithium niobate as a base, held a 33.8 percent market share of global consumption ($150.9 million), according to ElectroniCast Consultants. The acceptance of lithium niobate as a material used in external amplitude and phase modulators results from its low optical loss and high electro-optic coefficient.

"As the demand for bandwidth continues to increase, it will be necessary to deploy low-ost optical communication links that are closer to the end user than ever before," Montgomery said.

The five-year market forecast is available immediately for the fee of $7,200 from ElectroniCast Consultants.

Visit ElectroniCast Consultants

Sponsored Recommendations

Transforming the metro network and the evolution of the "Digital Service Provider"

March 4, 2025
Join experts at EXFO and Ekinops in this webinar that will review the evolving metro-centric requirements and the technologies emerging to meet them.

AI and Network Convergence: Transforming Global Connectivity

March 7, 2025
In today’s hyperconnected world, rolling out and managing profitable, high-performance networks for access and transport will require innovative architectural approaches. The ...

Unveiling the Synergy Between AI and Optical Networking

March 12, 2025
Join us for an engaging discussion with industry experts on the intersection of AI and optics. Moderated by Sean Buckley, editor-in-chief of Lightwave+BTR, this panel will explore...

Innovations Optical Transceivers

March 10, 2025
The continual movement around artificial intelligence (AI) cluster environments is driving new sales of optical transceiver sales and the adoption of linear pluggable optics (...