Verizon Climbing Carrier Ethernet LEADERBOARD

By Maurice Nagle
Web Editor

With 2017 a little more than halfway done, it’s a good time to take stock. And for Carrier Ethernet providers it’s time to take a look at the industry scorecard – courtesy of Vertical Systems Group.

Recently, Vertical Systems Group unveiled its Mid-Year 2017 U.S. Carrier Ethernet LEADERBOARD. In order to be considered, the provider must possess at least four percent of market share, which Vertical Systems Group determines via number of customer ports in service.

See the rankings below:

“While the pace of growth has slowed from the market ramp years, demand for Carrier Ethernet services remains very strong in 2017,” said Rick Malone, principal at Vertical Systems Group. “The revenue and profitability outlooks for many providers are improving as fiber buildouts are completed and pricing begins to stabilize.”

Some major takeaways from the results? Well, as a result of Verizon’s (News - Alert) XO purchase it not only added the number 7^th overall Carrier Ethernet provider (per 2016 Vertical results), but this addition bumped Verizon from 4^th to 3^rd on LEADERBOARD. As Verizon climbed the ladder, Spectrum (News - Alert) Enterprises dipped a position, from 3^rd to 4^th.  Of those listed, Level 3 is the only Competitive Provider, with the others amounting to four Incumbent Carriers, and three cable MSOs.

In addition, a point of note, which shouldn’t come with much surprise, is that all the Ethernet providers on the LEADERBOARD were also on Vertical System Group’s 2016 Fiber Lit Buildings LEADERBOARD.

Outside of the top eight, the LEADERBOARD also mentions those in the Challenge Tier – those with one to four percent market share. This bunch includes Zayo, Altice USA, Frontier, Sprint (News - Alert) and Cogent. The Market Player tier players also receive mention. This bunch are with less than one percent port market share, and includes: Alaska Communications, Alpheus Communications, American Telesis, Birch Communications, BT (News - Alert) Global Services, Cincinnati Bell, Consolidated Communications, DQE Communications, Expedient, FairPoint, FiberLight, FirstLight, Global Cloud Xchange, Great Plains Communications, GTT, Hawaiian Telecom, Lightower, Logix, LS Networks, Lumos Networks, Masergy, Midco, NTT America (News - Alert), Orange Business, RCN Business, Tata, TDS Telecom, Telstra, TPx Communications, Unite Private Networks, US Signal and WOW!Business.