High prices and cabling constraints led to sales of 100Mbit Ethernet being hampered when the technology was first introduced to the market but attractive pricing and improved end-user awareness have changed all this.
SMC Networks country manager, Greg Perkins, says there has been a gradual swing towards the use of CAT 5 cabling the minimum cabling specification for the 1000base TX standard. "The typical South African cabling plant uses either co-axial or CAT 3 twisted pair cable. But with the prolification of low cost Fast Ethernet products CAT 5 cabling installations are quickly becoming the standard."
"Venders such as SMC were concerned about the slow acceptance of the technology. However, since November last year there has been an increase in network interface card (NIC) sales with related products like hubs and switches following suit," says Paul Luff, SMC product manager at SDD.
Perkins says there has also been in excess of a 40 percent price erosion over the past year resulting in the introduction of new, lower priced products.
"Users concerned with technology upgrades can also breathe easy. As the majority of machines sold today are PCI-based it makes sense for would-be purchasers to invest in 10/100 adapter today at yesterdays 10Mbit prices," he says.
"In the long run it is believed these factors will continue to drive sales of Fast Ethernet. Competitive technologies, such as ATM, while being more efficient, are too complex and costly to implement and maintain anywhere else than at a large corporate with a budget to match," says Luff.
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