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Optical Switching Sub-systems and Components: Market and Trends
CIR, Jan 2001
Devices that can directly switch optical signals without converting the signals to electrical signals have long been the dream of communications engineers. Most of the major communications labs have been working on such devices for years, but the only commercial products that have emerged until recently were low port-count devices that served as automated patch panels and simple optical protection switches. Such devices also found a ready market in the test and measurement equipment industry.
Since 1999, there has been a major leap forward in optical switching technology both in terms of performance as well as alternatives. Mems devices, in particular, have shown an ability to be scaled up to create large optical crossconnects. Other new technologies, such as liquid crystal, while not quite as scalable in terms of ports, offer better price points and higher performance than the older technologies for applications such as protection switching, optical add-drop muxes, etc. Some of these newer technologies may never be scalable to the point of being able to build large switching systems, but they offer considerable improvements over more traditional electro-optic and opto-mechanical technologies for smaller scale optical switching applications.
The marketplace has long buzzed about the potential for an All Optical Network (AON) based on next generation optical switching technology and the advancements have spawned the usual hopes, expectations and excitement seen in communications markets. With the arrival of the AON, service providers would have the ability to move terabits of data at cost levels once considered incredible and the vendor community would have a product that would guarantee them revenue streams for years to come. Wall Street had found a new darling and rewarded companies with little more than a story, some brochures or just a name brand CEO, with huge valuations.
So what happened?
The close association of optical switching with the AON concept, and the burgeoning number of exotic alternative optical switching technologies lent a certain glamour to the optical switching components and sub-systems market. Listening to vendors and even some analysts would make it easy to believe that these markets were and still are set for infinite growth. But in the end, the truth, as in every case, is much more complex than the hype usually suggests.
Some of the approaches for optical switching are based on technologies that are still in their infancy, while others have only limited potential for real world applications. And, despite the extravagant claims surrounding the optical switching market, the idea of “pure” optical switching has been kept in check by the more conventional approach of OEO technology - a technology that is increasingly appealing to large service providers.
Another important issue is that while the demand for larger optical switching systems has been confined mostly to long-haul backbones we are likely to see demand for metro, access and even enterprise deployment, all of which have different needs and issues than the traditional long-haul sector. To what extent components and sub-systems manufacturers will be able to meet all these changing requirements remains an open question.
Wall Street has woken up from its binge and readjusted its thinking about optical switching - and optical networking in general. Meanwhile, service Providers are also reconsidering their plans in light of the now slowing and uncertain economy. These are both critical issues, because in less certain times, investors, equipment manufacturers and service providers are all more likely to be reluctant to take on risky, unproven technologies - a description which still characterizes most of the all-optical switching technologies.
Yet, despite such uncertainties, CIR does not have a pessimistic view of the future of optical switching but rather a more of a pragmatic view of the market. Over the next few years, we believe that opportunities in this area will be plentiful but only for those who understand the overall picture from the perspectives of the carriers, suppliers and end-users. CIR is therefore pleased to announce a new market analysis titled, Optical Switching Sub-systems AND Components: Markets AND Trends, as a guide to the opportunities, threats and strategies inherent in this market.
Based on true demand side analysis this new report:
- Discusses how new trends in optical networking are increasing the demand and changing the requirements for optical switching components and sub-systems and how changes at the switching components and sub-systems level are impacting optical networking.
- Analyzes and forecasts the current and future market opportunities for both sub-systems and their related components as well as providing predictions on their future technological evolution.
- Analyzes the competing optical switching technologies including opto-mechanical, thermo-optic, pressure-based approaches, electro-optic, passive, Mems, liquid crystal, and Agilent’s “Champagne” technology.
- Draws distinctions between optical switching “chips” and optical switching sub-systems in terms of their market and technology characteristics, who manufactures them, who buys them and how they are marketed.
- Profiles both the major vendors of optical switching components and sub-systems and the optical switching requirements of leading optical equipment manufacturers.
- Includes a five-year forecast of optical switching components and sub-systems broken down by technology type and port count.
- Examines the future of the optical switching components and sub-systems sector in the light of the less favorable outlook for the economy and optical industry investments in particular.
- Answers the question, “What lies beyond Mems?”
- Considers the changes in the supply chain for optical switching components and sub-systems and the impact of new optical materials and manufacturing processes.
- Enables the reader to plan profitable strategies in the optical switching and sub-systems components marketplace, design equipment with an understanding of component trends, or plan high-speed services with an understanding of what optical switching capabilities are likely to be available over the next few years
What Makes the Report/CIR Special?
With so many uncertainties now facing the optical switching components and sub-systems market, we believe that the only way to truly gasp the opportunities in this market is through a demand side analysis. For this reason, the methodology for this report begins with CIR’s understanding of the optical switching system business based on our discussions with service providers. We then speak with the systems manufacturers to gain a better understand their component and sub-systems purchasing plans as well as their technical requirements, finally moving on to the sub-systems and components manufacturers to evaluate their product, market and technology strategies. The final analyses, forecasts and outlooks are drawn from all the data collected and provide a clear, accurate and informed opinion about the market through the eyes of an industry analyst with over 20 years of experience.
We believe that this report will be required reading for all marketing, strategy and product managers in the optical components industry, as well as those in the equipment industry, who need to understand how business and technology change in the components and sub-system market will impact their firms.
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