Evolved Packet Core to grow 100pc through 2015

CALIFORNIA, USA: Evolved Packet Core, the emerging segment of this market, is forecast to expand more than 100 per cent annually in revenues by 2015, finds market analyst firm Dell'Oro Group.

The wireless packet core equipment market is forecast to grow more than 20 per cent annually to reach almost $6 B by 2015, while traditional packet core equipment is expected to grow in the single digits each year during the forecast period.

"Smartphone and tablet usage is expected to drive an 80 per cent per year increase in wireless mobile data usage over the next five years," said Chris DePuy, analyst, Dell'Oro Group. "Service Providers are responding to this surging data demand by purchasing wireless packet core equipment, and increasingly, evolved packet core equipment." 

Evolved Packet Core equipment enables 4G data services and is backwards compatible to 3G. 

Besides providing data capacity, products in the wireless core market enable service providers to differentiate and enable new tiers of services using Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) to tie into billing systems.

"Service providers view evolved packet core equipment as more than bandwidth management systems. These systems are critical to managing the business models in the delivery of mobile data services," said DePuy.

The report shows that the PCRF market is forecast to surge to over $600 M in 2015.