Because microwave equipment is becoming increasingly common in telecom and Ethernet networks around the world, research firm IHS Infonetics recently unveiled some of the highlights of a recent report covering developments in this sector called the IHS Infonetics Microwave Equipment Vendor Scorecard. The report gives an in-depth look into the activities of the top six vendors on the market with analysis by industry professionals regarding their position amongst microwave equipment’s past and future development.
Microwave equipment is vital to facilitating more flexible networking with simplified operations, and it is being deployed in many different applications across a wide range of industries. The primary opportunities for implementation include 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE mobile backhaul, high-capacity long-haul and mission-critical networks, while packet microwave solutions enable a smooth transition to all-IP networks. This technology vastly expands capacity while significantly lowering the total cost of ownership and allowing service providers to offer enhanced features on a higher-quality network.
The top two companies in the IHS scorecard are networking technology giants NEC and Alcatel-Lucent, both which offer diverse and comprehensive microwave equipment product portfolios that are essential to building tomorrow’s robust networks.
“NEC stands out as a leader in the microwave market due to its market share position based on a broad global customer base and good market share momentum over the past year,” commented Richard Webb, the Research Director overseeing mobile backhaul and small cells at IHS Infonetics. “Meanwhile, Alcatel-Lucent is a leader based on its strong share in the Ethernet-only microwave equipment category, where it was early to market and has established itself as a segment innovator.”
The other four companies to be considered are Aviat Networks, Ceragon, Ericsson and Huawei, each of which also have promising product portfolios and are aggressively expanding their customer bases. Though it may be tough to reach the top, every technological development brings end consumers a better network and therefore a higher quality life.
Edited by
Kyle Piscioniere 
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