Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexers (DSLAMs) port shipments grew at a solid rate in 2004, but the rate of growth is expected to decline in coming years as the DSL market matures, reports In-Stat. The competition in the DSLAM market is fierce with many large global vendors and small vendors competing for contracts, a trend that will shrink average selling prices over the next several years, the high-tech market research firm says. "Worldwide DSLAM revenues will stay relatively flat, ranging from $3.1 - $3.3 billion over the next several years," says Henry Goldberg, In-Stat analyst. "The market will be highly competitive, with vendors increasing revenues only by taking market share away from other vendors." Alcatel had the leading market share in all regions, except the Asia-Pacific region, in 2004. Huawei had the second-leading worldwide market share, driven by their sales to the booming broadband market in China. IP DSLAMs are growing in popularity, and will become the dominant form of DSLAM in the future, replacing the older, ATM-based DSLAMs. DSLAM vendors also need to have a complete solution for support of triple-play services.
The personal computing device market continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience despite recent fluctuations. According to the latest worldwide market study by International Data Corporation (IDC), global PC shipments are projected to reach 273 million units in 2025—a modest but significant 3.7 percent increase over the previous year. This growth reflects the market's adaptation to post-pandemic realities and evolving technology needs across the globe. Personal Computing Market Development While COVID-19 initially triggered unprecedented demand for computing devices during the shift to remote work and online education, we now see a more measured growth pattern. IDC has slightly adjusted its projections downward, indicating a market growing steadily rather than explosively. "In light of so many challenges around the world, Japan is a much-needed source of double-digit growth this year. Enterprises there as well as SMBs have been quickly replacing PCs in advance of the Window...