Infonetics: Carrier IP Edge Router/Switch Markets Grows in North America

The global service provider router and switch market, which includes IP edge routers, IP core routers, and carrier Ethernet switches (CES), sequentially decreased 14% to $3.3 billion in the first quarter of 2012 (1Q12), according to a new report from Infonetics Research. From the year-ago first quarter, the market is essentially flat, down just 1%. However, the North American market was up a very healthy 27% quarter-over-quarter and up 9% from the year-ago first quarter.

Some highlights:

Service provider routers and switches are the second largest telecom market segment in 2011 total revenue (~$14.5 billion) after mobile RAN spending ($30+ billion),

Cisco, Alcatel-Lucent, and Juniper all gained IP Edge market share in the first quarter, Cisco the most by far, increasing its share from about 31% to about 39% quarter-over-quarter,

In 1Q12, Cisco, Juniper, and Huawei together took 96% of global core router revenue. However, Alcatel-Lucent is entering this space with its new 7950 core router. http://www.infonetics.com