Ever wonder what powers your lightning-fast internet? Brace yourselves! A massive $10 billion investment in cable network upgrades is coming by 2030, all to fuel the future of broadband. Dell’Oro Group predicts a surge in DOCSIS 4.0 tech will redefine connectivity. Are you ready for the next level of speed and automation?
The telecommunications industry is poised for a transformative period, with a recent report from Dell’Oro Group forecasting a substantial surge in cable outside plant spending. This significant investment, projected to reach $10 billion by 2030, signals a pivotal shift as operators globally prepare their broadband technology for advanced capabilities, particularly DOCSIS 4.0.
A critical driver behind this financial influx is the anticipated 86 percent year-over-year increase in 2025 Cable Outside Plant Equipment revenues. This dramatic growth is largely fueled by the widespread adoption of new 1.8 GHz amplifiers and the deployment of DAA (Distributed Access Architecture) Nodes, essential for supporting Remote PHY implementations within modern cable infrastructure.
Market momentum is expected to intensify further with the imminent introduction of Full Duplex 1.2 GHz amplifiers later this year. Substantial volumes of these innovative components are projected to enter the market by 2026, further accelerating the ongoing network upgrades and enhancing the overall capacity and efficiency of cable networks.
According to Jeff Heynen, Vice President of Broadband Access and Home Networking market research at Dell’Oro Group, tier-one cable operators, particularly those dominant in the North American market, are embarking on a multi-year investment cycle. This strategic initiative aims to not only boost broadband speeds significantly but also dramatically enhance the intelligence and automation features inherent in their outside plant infrastructure.
These comprehensive network upgrades will necessitate a substantial increase in capital allocation towards a range of essential equipment. This includes a heightened demand for advanced optical nodes, a variety of sophisticated amplifiers, and crucial passive equipment such as taps and hardline splitters, with this investment trajectory expected to continue robustly through 2029.
Global Cable Outside Plant Equipment revenues are strategically projected to peak around 2027. This period is identified as the apex when the largest cohort of tier-one operators worldwide will be actively engaged in the core phases of their amplifier, node, and passives upgrades, specifically targeting full compatibility and optimization for the cutting-edge DOCSIS 4.0 standard.
While the global market expands, North America is slated to retain its position as the preeminent region for Cable Outside Plant Equipment revenue. This regional dominance is attributed to operators in other geographical areas often opting to either continue evolving their existing DOCSIS 3.1 deployments or increasingly pursue comprehensive fiber overbuild strategies, highlighting divergent approaches to next-generation broadband technology.
The comprehensive Dell’Oro Group analysis provides a detailed six-year market forecast, segmenting optical nodes to include DAA and Generic Access Platform (GAP) Nodes, alongside various amplifier technologies such as 1.2 GHz, 1.2 GHz full duplex, and 1.8 GHz. The report also meticulously tracks passive components and offers vital regional subscriber forecasts for cable broadband, underscoring its value as a key telecom market intelligence resource.
