Metro Ethernet tops $4.9B in 2005, will triple by 2009, says Infonetics

April 17, 2006 Campbell, CA -- Worldwide metro Ethernet equipment revenue nearly doubled between 2004 and 2005, from $2.6 billion to over $4.9 billion, and is expected to triple to $15.5 billion by 2009, according to a recent report from Infonetics Research.

"The universal appeal of Ethernet is that it is less expensive than other technologies," observes Michael Howard, principal analyst and co-founder of Infonetics Research. "Ethernet is becoming an increasingly integral part of metro networks, with equipment spending accumulating almost $49 billion over the five-year period between 2005 and 2009. Every year Ethernet will account for a larger portion of metro capex, led by phenomenal growth in carrier Ethernet switches and routers (CESR), a growing mainstay for providers to deliver Ethernet services."

Highlights of the report, according to the firm, include:

* Metro Ethernet port shipments are projected to skyrocket in the next few years, increasing more than 30-fold between 2004 and 2009; the majority of ports sold will be VDSL copper ports.

* Revenue in nearly all metro Ethernet equipment categories grew at a fast rate in 2005, with CESR, EPON, Ethernet access devices (EADs), and Ethernet over copper/cable posting triple-digit growth.

* Globally, between 2005 and 2009: CESR revenue will more than double, representing 32% of the metro Ethernet equipment market by 2009; EADs will grow 647%, strongly influenced by Ethernet services uptake; Ethernet over copper and cable will grow 853%, driven by healthy VDSL deployments in Asia and North America; RPR revenue will grow 226%

* North America accounted for 34% of all metro Ethernet equipment revenue in 2005, Asia Pacific for 33%, EMEA for 30%, and CALA for 3%

The report, "Metro Ethernet Equipment," includes market size, analysis, and forecasts through 2009 for metro Ethernet ports and metro Ethernet equipment, including EADs, enterprise/metro Ethernet switches and routers, carrier Ethernet switches and routers, Ethernet over SONET/SDH, RPR over fiber, Ethernet over WDM, Ethernet over copper and cable, EPON. For more information, visit www.infonetics.com.