ABI Research Ranks Cisco as the Leader in Carrier Wi-Fi

​In its latest assessment of Carrier Wi-Fi equipment vendors, ABI Research identifies Cisco as the overall winner in its vendor matrix. Carrier Wi-Fi is defined as equipment purchased by a mobile or fixed line service provider and integrated into their core networks with the intention of offering the subscriber a seamless user experience and offloading a portion of the user data traffic based on the service provider’s policies.

To determine a vendor’s score in innovation, ABI Research assessed the vendor’s performance in Carrier Wi-Fi portfolio variety, roadmap, R&D, network management, standards participation, and Self-Organizing Networks.

Our top scoring vendors for innovation:

• Cisco
• Alcatel-Lucent
• Ericsson

For the implementation score, ABI Research measured market share, key customers and contracts, geographic reach, partnerships in the ecosystem and vendor’s end to end solutions capability.

Our top scoring vendors for implementation:

• Cisco
• Ruckus Wireless
• Alcatel-Lucent

Although a relatively small market today, ABI Research has identified Ruckus Wireless, Cisco, and Ericsson as the early market share winners.

Competitive dynamics are heating up in this segment with companies like Cisco and Ruckus Wireless moving into areas traditionally held by mobile infrastructure vendors and the mobile infrastructure vendors like Ericsson, Alcatel-Lucent, and Nokia Siemens Networks moving into the Wi-Fi segment.

“Although not our top ranked company today, we believe Ruckus Wireless could prove to be among the winners in this segment in the future,” says principal analyst Nick Marshall.

With prolific and innovative Carrier Wi-Fi portfolios and roadmaps, ABI Research also ranks Alcatel-Lucent and Nokia Siemens Networks among the strong challengers for share moving forward.

These findings are part of ABI Research’s Small Cells and Carrier Wi-Fi Research Services which includes Research Reports, Market Data, Insights, and Competitive Assessments.

ABI Research provides in-depth analysis and quantitative forecasting of trends in global connectivity and other emerging technologies. From offices in North America, Europe and Asia, ABI Research’s worldwide team of experts advises thousands of decision makers through 70+ research and advisory services. Est. 1990. For more information visit www.abiresearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2500.