According a recent report by Infonetics Research, the cable broadband market is primed for a rebound this year. Infonetics recently completed is fourth-quarter and year-end study of the cable modem termination system (CMTS) and edge QAM sectors in the cable industry.
“Though 2012 was a down year for cable broadband, the stage is set for a strong 2013,” said Jeff Heynen, directing analyst for broadband access and pay TV at Infonetics Research. “Cable operators worldwide have a number of bandwidth-hungry applications on tap that will drive CMTS and edge QAM channel growth throughout the year, including DOCSIS 3.0, multi-screen services via the deployment of new video gateways, and carrier Wi-Fi services.
“We’re expecting CMTS and edge QAM revenue to grow more than 20 percent in 2013.”
Last year, CMTS and edge QAM revenue dipped 15 percent to $1.39 billion. Declining average selling price and channel shipments tipped the global CMTS and edge QAM market down for the third consecutive quarter in the fourth quarter of last year as revenue fell 1 percent sequentially to $284 million.
North America bucked the global trend with a 7 percent increase in CMTS and edge QAM revenue in the fourth quarter from the third quarter.
Cisco held onto the top spot for CMTS revenue market share in the fourth quarter, though second-ranked Arris, the leader in channel shipments, grew its share by 6 percentage points.
In the edge QAM segment, Cisco edged out Harmonic in the fourth quarter to claim the top spot for the first time, but Harmonic closed out 2012 as the overall edge QAM leader.
With vendors showing their Converged Cable Access Platform (CCAP) wares at shows last year, and with Comcast conducting pilot deployments, Infonetics plans on offering CCAP-related revenue guidance this year.
