All this means that component makers have more opportunities than they have had for years. Succeeding in the components market is no longer just a matter of low prices and meeting the required specs. Instead, there are opportunities to create genuinely innovative products that fit in with emerging standards and networking trends, yet are also quite distinctive in the marketplace.

This report discusses where the key opportunities for optical networking component makers will be found in the next few years. It focuses especially on the components that will be needed in the latest high speed networks and on important technology directions including optical integration, high-speed laser modulation, tunable components and dispersion control. Included in this report is a detailed analysis of the strategies being adopted by both large component firms and start-ups to take advantage of the next wave in networking. As with all CIR reports, this study also includes a detailed five-year forecast of the markets covered.