In-Stat: Non-Ethernet Home Networking Node Shipment Crossed 40 Million Mark in 2010

Research and consulting firm In-Stat (News - Alert) has recently came up with a new report that revealed service providers’ renewed interest in wired networking solutions. The report, titled “HomePlug, MoCA, HomePNA (News - Alert), and G.hn: And the Winner Is... (#IN1104889RC)”, offers an in-depth analysis of the existing alternative wired home networking space. The report also makes prediction about node shipments according to region, standard, and device type for the next five years.

In the report In-Stat analysts explained that with a dramatic increase in the use of connected devices at home, there has been a surge in the demand for capable home network delivery systems. Wi-Fi networks still dominate the home networking scenario, but according to In-Stat, the service providers are increasingly finding wired networking solutions as a more reliable networking option. As bandwidth consuming appliances are growing in numbers, service providers are increasingly depending on existing wires inside the home to deliver higher speeds with more reliability than wireless 802.11x standards can. Under this backdrop, the shipment of non-Ethernet home networking node went past the 40 million units in 2010, In-Stat noted in its report.

The research came up with some interesting findings about the three technologies. The report said that HomePlug (News - Alert) shipped the highest number of nodes in 2010, while MoCA experienced the greatest compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 46 percent over the 2007 through 2010 time period.

When it comes to Router/Gateway (News - Alert) home networking units, HomePlug again rules the market and it will continue to do so throughout the forecast period, the research firm predicted.

However, for set top boxes, MoCA is going to dominate the market. In-Stat predicted that G.hn will make impressive gains in set top boxes, becoming the second most popular standard by 2013 and challenging MoCA by 2015.

The report also predicted that China will surpass the US in 2011 as the country with the most home networks.

“Wiring a home with Ethernet is costly and often requires service providers to send out technicians to drill through walls and pull Cat5 cabling. Instead, service providers are turning to existing wires inside the home, which can deliver their network: power line, coax, and phone line. However, not only is there competition over the type of wire to deliver the network, there are also different standards within each wire type that are not always interoperable,” In-Stat Analyst Vahid Dejwakh explained in the report.

Last week, Atheros (News - Alert) Communications, Inc., a global leader in innovative technologies for wireless and wired communications, launched the industry's first HomePlug Green PHY (HPGP) emulation development kit. By accurately emulating a Green PHY environment, the development kit enables Atheros customers to evaluate the technology's capabilities and develop application software for 'Internet of Things' product families focused on smart grid and smart energy, Atheros claimed in a press release.