New IDC MarketScape Provides a Vendor Assessment of the Worldwide LTE Radio Infrastructure Market for 2013

FRAMINGHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--International Data Corporation (IDC) has published a new MarketScape vendor and market analysis profiling the leading providers in the worldwide LTE radio equipment market. The report, IDC MarketScape: Worldwide LTE Radio Infrastructure 2013 Vendor Analysis, utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology that produces a graphical assessment of each vendor's current market capabilities and strategies for competing in the future. IDC placed the three dominant LTE radio equipment vendors – Ericsson, Nokia Siemens Networks, and Huawei – in the Leaders category for 2013, with two others recognized as Major Players, Alcatel-Lucent and Samsung.

“The worldwide LTE radio equipment market is gaining momentum as LTE deployments have really taken off in the United States, Japan, and South Korea, and have begun in earnest in other major markets in Europe and elsewhere”

"The worldwide LTE radio equipment market is gaining momentum as LTE deployments have really taken off in the United States, Japan, and South Korea, and have begun in earnest in other major markets in Europe and elsewhere," said John Byrne, Director, Wireless Network Infrastructure at IDC. "IDC expects LTE radio gear spending to exceed $20 billion by 2016 as nearly all operators, globally, will have begun LTE migrations by then."

The study discusses both quantitative and qualitative assessments of vendors' characteristics to explain success in the marketplace and help anticipate their growth prospects. This study covers six vendors that provide LTE solutions, which is the key radio access technology around which future network architectures will be built. While there is some discussion of what technology will evolve "beyond LTE," it is clear that operators are looking to subsequent releases of the IMT Advanced/LTE Advanced standard to provide efficiency and throughput gains to support network demand for at least the next 10 years.

Covering a variety of vendors participating in the LTE radio equipment market, this evaluation is based on a comprehensive framework and set of parameters that assess vendors relative to one another and to those factors expected to be most conducive to success in this market, for both the short and the long term. The six vendors included in this analysis are Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, Huawei, Nokia Siemens Networks, Samsung, and ZTE Corp.

Successful LTE radio offerings include the ability to scale effectively to enable operators to support ever-growing data throughput, faster uplink and downlink speeds, lower latency, and a more satisfactory user experience while simultaneously controlling both opex and capex in a way that ensures mobile operators can remain profitable. "Success in LTE is crucial to the future of network equipment vendors providing radio equipment. To thrive, vendors must provide a strong mix of technological execution, cost-efficiency, and a future portfolio that can scale to meet ever-increasing demands from mobile operators and their consumer and enterprise customers," Byrne added.

About IDC MarketScape

IDC MarketScape vendor analysis model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of IT, telecommunications, or industry-specific suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor's position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT, telecommunications, or industry-specific vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a transparent foundation to allow companies to independently compare the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors.

For more information about IDC MarketScape, please contact Karen Moser at [e-mail].

About IDC

International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. IDC helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based decisions on technology purchases and business strategy. More than 1,000 IDC analysts provide global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 100 countries. For more than 48 years, IDC has provided strategic insights to help our clients achieve their key business objectives. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world's leading technology media, research, and events company. You can learn more about IDC by visiting www.idc.com.