Ethernet switch market totaled $4.7 billion in 1Q13

BANGALORE, INDIA: Global Ethernet switch market totaled $4.7 billion in 1Q13, down eight per cent from 4Q12, but up one per cent from the year-ago quarter (1Q12), finds Infonetics Research.

"While we saw the usual first quarter seasonal dip in Ethernet switch sales in 1Q13, overall growth has strengthened over the past three quarters, a positive sign given continuing weakness in Europe and lower spending by the U.S. federal government," notes Matthias Machowinski, directing analyst, enterprise networks and video at Infonetics Research.

Port shipments fell four per cent in 1Q13, and 10G-normally the shining star-had the highest quarter-over-quarter decline. 40G was the only port segment to post sequential shipment growth (+2 per cent), driven by 40G fixed switches (e.g., 16xQSFP+) and 40G line cards on chassis switches. Nearly all Ethernet switch vendors reported lower sequential sales in 1Q13. Cisco is the early leader in 100G Ethernet switch ports.