Cable Outside Plant Equipment Spend to Exceed $9.9B Through 2030

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--Dell'Oro Group has forecast that the Total Cable Outside Plant Equipment revenue remains on track to advance 14 percent in 2023, driven largely by continued mid- and high-split DOCSIS 3.1 projects in the North American market, which are driving purchases of 1.2 GHz amplifiers. Beginning later this year, Full Duplex 1.2 GHz and 1.8 GHz amplifiers will begin shipping, with significant volumes expected in 2024.

"Short-term band splitting projects will begin to give way to longer-term DOCSIS 4.0 upgrades, particularly in the North American market, where operators are looking to increase capacity and keep pace with fiber ISPs," said Jeff Heynen, Vice President and analyst with the Dell'Oro Group.

Heynen added that "these upgrades will result in a significant increase in spending on optical nodes, amplifiers, and passive equipment, including taps and hardline splitters.”

Global Cable Outside Plant Equipment revenues are projected to peak at $1.4 billion in 2027, when the largest number of tier-one operators in North America are expected to be in the middle of their amplifier and node upgrades for DOCSIS 4.0.

Dell’Oro noted that the North American market will remain the largest region for Cable Outside Plant Equipment revenue, as operators in other regions either continue with DOCSIS 3.1 or increasingly overbuild with fiber.

The cable industry’s DOCSIS 4.0 upgrade cycle will continue through 2030 as operators consistently expand their footprint using 1.8 GHz amplifiers, Full Duplex 1.2 GHz amplifiers, and 2 GHz taps where necessary.