Colt secures #1 rank as top Global Ethernet Provider, surpassing Orange Business; Cirion enters the LEADERBOARD

BOSTON, MA, April 30, 2024 – Vertical Systems Group announces that seven companies achieved a rank on the year-end 2023 Global Provider Ethernet LEADERBOARD as follows (in order based on retail port share): Colt (U.K.), Orange Business (France), Verizon (U.S.), AT&T (U.S.), BT Global (U.K.), NTT (Japan), and Cirion (Argentina). This industry benchmark for multinational Ethernet network market presence ranks companies that hold a 4% or higher share of billable retail ports at sites outside of their respective home countries.

Eight companies attained a 2023 Challenge Tier citation (in alphabetical order): Cogent (U.S.), GCX [formerly Global Cloud Xchange] (India), GTT (U.S.), SingTel (Singapore), T-Systems (Germany), Tata Communications (India), Telefonica (Spain), and Vodafone (U.K.). The Challenge Tier includes companies with share between 2% and 4% of this defined market.

“The geographic expansion of the Global Ethernet market continued in 2023, while several domestic markets flattened,” said Rick Malone, Principal of Vertical Systems Group. “Colt ascended to the top rank in our Global Provider segment following key acquisitions and market growth beyond its Pan-European base.”

Research Highlights

• Colt advances to the #1 position on the 2023 Global Ethernet LEADERBOARD for the first time, up from second position last year. The company expanded its Ethernet services across the EMEA region with assets that were acquired from Lumen.
• Orange Business falls to the #2 position after ranking first for the previous two years. The company’s Ethernet business has been impacted by service transformations and customer migration.
• Verizon and AT&T retain the #3 and #4 ranks, respectively. Latest port share results show a slim share differential between these two providers.
• British Telecom remains in the #5 position, followed by NTT in the #6 position.
• Cirion moves into the #7 and final position on the Global Ethernet LEADERBOARD, advancing from the Challenge Tier. The company acquired Lumen’s LATAM assets in 2022.
• Consequently, the number of 2023 Challenge Tier companies falls to eight from nine.
• Lumen drops from the LEADERBOARD into the Market Player tier due to its divestiture of global Ethernet assets. In 2022 Lumen ranked seventh in the Global Ethernet segment based on port share.
• Our latest research shows low net new growth for Global Provider Ethernet ports in 2023, offset by customer upgrades to gigabit speed Ethernet services to support cloud connectivity, AI workloads, plus other higher bandwidth applications.
• Four of the seven Global Provider Ethernet LEADERBOARD companies have attained MEF 3.0 Carrier Ethernet certification: Colt, Orange Business, Verizon, and BT Global.

The Market Player tier includes all Global Providers with port share below 2%. Companies in the 2023 Market Player tier are as follows (in alphabetical order): Alice (Netherlands), Arelion (Sweden), Bell (Canada), CAT Telecom (Thailand), China Telecom (China), Claro Enterprise Solutions (Mexico), CMC Networks (South Africa), Comcast [includes Masergy] (U.S.), Embratel (Brazil), Epsilon (Singapore), euNetworks (U.K.), Exa Infrastructure (U.K.), Exponential-e (U.K.), Flo Networks (Mexico), Fusion Connect (U.S.), Globe (Philippines), GlobeNet (Brazil), HGC Global (Hong Kong), KDDI (Japan), Korea Telecom (Korea), Liberty Networks (U.K.), Lumen (U.S.), Ooredoo Business (Qatar), PCCW Global (Hong Kong), PLDT Global (Philippines), Retelit (Italy), Riedel Networks (Germany), Sparkle (Italy), StarHub (Singapore), Telin (Singapore), Telstra (Australia), TM One (Malaysia), Virgin Media Business (U.K.), Zayo (U.S.) and other providers selling Ethernet services outside their home country.

@Ethernet is available now exclusively by subscription to an ENS Research Program. Research data includes the market share detail that powers the U.S. and Global Provider Carrier Ethernet Services LEADERBOARD results. Contact us for more information and pricing.