In its new study "Gigabit Ethernet Fiber & Copper Cabling Systems," FTM Consulting Inc. describes and analyzes the Gigabit Ethernet market, including a categorization of fiber cables by performance grades. The study identifies seven grades of fiber cable, and forecasts the market growth of each grade over a five-year period.

The study also identifies developing applications for Gigabit Ethernet cabling systems, and forecasts the cabling-product shipments for each of these applications. In addition to backbone-riser and fiber-to-the-desk horizontal cabling applications, the study segments three emerging horizontal cabling applications: storage area networks (SANs), swith-to-switch systems, and fiber-to-the-zone. The study also includes five-year forecasts for each of these applications.

FTM president Frank Murawski says fiber-to-the-zone is a precursor to fiber-to-the-desk, and is currently the largest cabling application. He expects that fiber-to-the-desk will become the largest application within five years.

The study concludes that fiber cabling for Gigabit Ethernet applications will grow in excess of 30% over the next five years. Additionally, the Gigabit Ethernet market by itself will account for more than 70% of the total premises fiber cabling systems shipments in 2007. "The double-digit growth of UTP cabling that occurred in the 1990s is expected to be replaced by the new double-digit growth in fiber cabling systems over the next ten years," Murawski said. "Newly developed fiber technologies, such as 50-micron laser-optimized fiber, supporting 10 Gbits/sec for distances up to 300 meters, using inexpensive VCSELs, is one of the contributing factors for this growth in fiber cabling. Future developments of the new fiber cabling products are expected to support speeds of 100 Gbits/sec." The study also contains a description of those products.

Those interested in the study can e-mail FTM at [email protected] or call (717) 533-4990.