Dark Fiber

TMCnet Contributor

According to a recent announcement from Strategy Analytics, legacy networks (<2.5Gbps) are the present volume leaders in the fiber optic analog IC market but would show the most sluggish growth through 2013.

On the other hand, the10Gbps networks are slated to become the de facto standard, growing annually at 20 percent CAGR (compound annual growth rate) from 2011-2013. At the same time, 40Gbps networks will show strong growth. These findings and many others were presented in a recent Strategy Analytics (News - Alert) study titled, “Device Opportunities in the Fiber Optic Analog IC Market: 2008 – 2013.”

 

The report details forecasts for fiber optic analog ICs – TIAs (transimpedance amplifiers), laser drivers and post/limiting amplifiers. Various technologies such as silicon, SiGe, GaAs and InP technologies have different positions in the market. Compound semiconductor technologies are being used more in the higher value, higher growth segments.

 

“The fiber optic market is set to weather the storm better than most communications markets because the capital expense of laying fiber is already in place, while demand for more and faster bandwidth seems insatiable,” observed Asif Anwar at Strategy Analytics in a release. “We expect GaAs- and InP-based laser drivers and TIAs to be key enabling technologies for the rollout of higher speed 10Gbps, 40Gbps and 100Gbps networks.”

 

The report attributes the increased market demand for fiber optic analog ICs to the increasing use of bandwidth-intensive applications by consumers and businesses. These bandwidth-intensive applications include Internet Protocol (IP) applications of voice, video and data, high-bandwidth video services, like HDTV (high definition TV) and VOD (video-on-demand), enterprise storage networks and higher bandwidth backhaul from high growth 3G and 4G wireless standards.

 

Boston, Ma.-based Strategy Analytics is a research organization that concentrates on market opportunities and disruptive forces in the areas of automotive electronics and entertainment, broadband connected home, mobile and wireless intelligent systems implementation strategies and high frequency market intelligence. The company has offices in the UK, France, Germany, Japan, S. Korea and China. It associates with clients through annual multi-client services, management team workshops and custom consulting engagements.

 

Last month, TMCnet reported that Strategy Analytics has predicted a smooth future for the GaAs devices market.