May 27, 2005 Tokyo, Japan and Belmont, CA -- ElectroniCast, a market and technology forecast firm for the fiber-optic communications industry, has released a market forecast study of the global total available market of modulators used in selected optical communication applications.

"The uses of specific types of optical modulators in fiber-optic communication links are determined by the customer's specifications. These specifications often lead to preferences of optical modulator technology type," explains Stephen Montgomery, president of ElectroniCast. "Also, based on customer requirements of optical transmission transfer rates and the R&D time allotted to each technology type, ElectroniCast has forecasted consumption trends by transmission speed and selected technology solutions."

According to the study, the use of modulators in 40-Gbit/sec optical communication R&D as well as network links began to show measurable quantities by 2003. According to the firm, among the technologies addressing the 40-Gbit/sec market is electro-optical (E-O) technology. The firm estimates that the worldwide consumption value of E-O modulators reached over $1.6 million in 2004. By 2007, as chromatic dispersion (CD) and polarization mode dispersion (PMD) problems continue to be addressed, along with decreasing average selling prices (ASPs), the firm forecasts that consumption value for E-O type modulators serving the 40-Gbit/sec market will reach $74.4 million.

For more information about the "Optical Modulator Market Forecast" study, visit the firm's Web site at www.electronicast.com.