Carrier Ethernet services now are in some cases straining carrier backbone networks, says Vertical Systems Group Principal Rick Malone. ”The rate of installation is actually at a nice clip in 2009, even for weak economic times,” Malone says.
That’s generally good news for buyers, but apparently is causing capacity issues in some cases. ”We are seeing improved cycle times in terms of getting people installed, and that has resulted in capacity shortages, and that is something we haven’t seen before in the core,” he adds.
For service providers and buyers more accustomed to issues in the access loop, that is a bit of a surprise. At least in part, that appears to be the result of better operational processes. There now is enough volume that service providers have developed better and more-standardized procedures for turning up Ethernet circuits.
Bandwidth demand also jumped, moving up faster in the past six months than in previous periods between the biannual reports. ”That is something we want to watch,” Malone says.
Orange, Colt,Verizon and AT&T top global provider rankings, he says. In the U.S. market, tw telecom, Cox Communications, Qwest Communications International, XO Communications, Time Warner Cable, Cogent Communications Group and Level 3 Communications were among the top-10 providers.