Infonetics Research expects the service provider router and switch market to grow at a compounded annual rate of just under 9% from now until 2017. This, despite a lackluster Q1 of 2013.
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Main growth drivers are and will continue to be the transition from TDM to packet and increasing video traffic, coupled with a slowly improving US economy and increased spending among operators, particularly in Europe. It was this same Europe that helped the $3.2 billion overall market decline 6% in Q1 from last year and 17% from last quarter.
North America was up 7% from last quarter.
Cisco's leadership share of the market was 39% in Q1, Infonetics states. Less than one percentage point separates Alcatel-Lucent, Huawei and Juniper from the No. 2 position, with Alcatel-Lucent stepping ahead of Huawei for second place in Q1.
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