The continuing need for bandwidth is expected to drive global sales of optical networking (ON) equipment, with an upbeat long-term forecast predicting the ON market will reach $20 billion by 2015 with a five percent CAGR.

Worldwide growth in the telecommunications industry slowed to just 1.8% for the last quarter of 2008, way below the 19 percent growth in the same quarter of 2007, but Ovum says there’s still an underlying strength in the industry as telcos improve their financial health through cost cutting.

CommScope subsidiary, wireless communications company Andrew, has expanded its operations in China with the completion of a manufacturing plant and distribution centre in the province of Suzhou.