[February 13, 2012] Infonetics Research: Mobile Broadband, Smartphones, LTE Drive Diameter Signaling Controllers to Reach 106% CAGR in 2016 Tweet Feb 13, 2012 (Close-Up Media via COMTEX) -- Communications market research firm Infonetics Research has released its Diameter Signaling Control Worldwide and Regional Market Size and Forecasts report, its first in-depth analysis of the Diameter signaling market. According to a release, the report contends that the Diameter protocol, which was developed as the next-generation signaling protocol for operator networks, is in the early stages of being utilized, and that Diameter traffic continues to grow steadily as more subscribers run over all IP-based mobile networks (i.e., LTE and IMS). Network operators have begun to recognize the scaling challenges associated with this buildup of Diameter traffic and the impact on their networks. "Diameter traffic in the signaling and control plane of all-IP based networks is guaranteed to continue to increase, forcing operators to utilize Diameter signaling controllers to more efficiently manage and scale that traffic," said Diane Myers, directing analyst for VoIP and IMS at Infonetics Research. "The key drivers behind the increase in signaling traffic is the fast-escalating use of mobile broadband networks, new devices and smartphones (from high-end Apple iPhones to less expensive Huawei devices and everything in between), and mobile applications, particularly gaming and social networking apps like Facebook that are in constant use or always on. Even battery-saving gadgets can spur signaling each time they reactivate a mobile phone, adding to Diameter signaling traffic congestion." Myers adds, "As LTE networks expand, driving even more traffic to the network, the Diameter signaling controller market will take off rapidly: we forecast a 106 percent compound annual growth rate in vendor revenue through 2016, in line with global growth in LTE networks and LTE subscribers." Report highlights: -Several high-profile network outages have exposed weaknesses in Diameter signaling and proved how debilitating excessive signaling traffic could be to operator networks, including Verizon Wireless' LTE network crash in early 2011, Telenor's 18-hour LTE network outage that prevented calls from connecting and text messages from being delivered, and NTT DoCoMo's outage in January 2012 that was attributed to Android devices, which load the network with control signals even when users are inactive -In 2011 a new category of products, which Infonetics classifies as Diameter signaling controllers, was introduced to alleviate Diameter traffic congestion and allow the signaling and control plane within networks to efficiently scale -There are a number of vendors jockeying to play a role in Diameter signaling control, and Tekelec has an early lead in this nascent market (specific vendor market share standings will be provided in future editions of Infonetics' report) -Infonetics expects at least 15 vendors to have diameter signaling controllers by the end of 2012, when market leadership will begin to take shape -Today the majority of Diameter signaling controller revenue comes from North America, due in large part to leading LTE network deployments; however, there is growing activity in Asia Pacific and EMEA as LTE continues to expand in those regions More information: www.infonetics.com ((Comments on this story may be sent to [email protected])) [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]