Date: 25/10/2012

ABI: Wireless infrastructure revenues still a downtrend in Q2-12

According to ABI Research’s Macro Basestations research service, wireless infrastructure equipment revenues continued their descending tendency in the second quarter of 2012 reaching only $11.2 billion – a 4.7% decrease from the first quarter of 2012 and a 14% decrease from the same quarter one year ago. “Total revenues for wireless network equipment reported by the vendors was the lowest amount that we have seen since 3Q 2003; reaching a 35 quarter low,” says Nick Marshall, principal analyst, networks.

In the second quarter Ericsson’s market share grew 1.2 points to 25.5% to retain the #1 spot while Huawei’s market share grew 2.9 points to solidify its #2 rank in market share. Nokia Siemens Networks and Alcatel-Lucent were #3 and #4 respectively.

For RAN equipment the best part this quarter was to be found in LTE. “Expenditures this quarter on LTE RAN equipment were almost 2 times higher than in Q1 2012 and 4 times higher than in Q2 2011,” continues Marshall. WCDMA technologies also grew by 14% this quarter and by 38% versus the year ago quarter.

RAN expenditures in Q2 2012 in the Asia Pacific region at $6.5 billion continued to be more than 3 times higher than in Western Europe or North America. However, expenditures in Asia Pacific dropped by 18% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) and almost 25% compared to the year ago quarter. In contrast North American RAN expenditures of almost $1.9 billion grew 15.6% QoQ in Q2 2012 and 47% versus Q2 2011.

Source: ABI