In a recent release, FIBER OPTIC CONNECTORS: GLOBAL MARKETS, the global market for fiber optic connectors was worth $1.9 billion in 2011. That value is projected to be $3 billion in 2016, after increasing at a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.6%.

The global market for fiber optic connectors can be broken down into two segments - telecom and other.

The telecom segment is valued at nearly $1.9 billion in 2011, and in 2016 should be worth $2.9 billion, yielding a CAGR of 9.5%.

The other segment, worth $79.5 million in 2011, should rise to $147 million in 2016, a CAGR of 13.1%.

Optical fibers are thin strands of highly pure silica glass that have been engineered to transmit light over long distances with very little decrease in signal strength. The ends of these fibers can be permanently joined using a technique known as splicing, or connectors can be used to form a temporary or changeable junction. These fiber optic connectors are usually of a standardized design, considered commodity devices, and are a mature technology.

Growth in the fiber optic connector market is linked directly to the expansion of fiber optic networks around the world. The rapid expansion of the Internet drives the broader optical market, and as long as the Internet and optical networks continue to expand, so shall the market for fiber optic connectors. The limiting factor for their deployment remains the labor involved in building an optical network.

The report is intended for a broad audience, but will specifically be useful to network system integrators and market managers to assess the connector market and forecast future markets. Management consultants, equipment managers, material suppliers, venture-capital managers, and strategic planners also will gain insight so they can share in the overall growth of the fiber optic market projected in this report.

Details of this report, table of contents and ordering information can be found on Electronics.ca Publications' web site.