Diverse Markets Drive HDD Forward

摘要

To say that we are in confusing economic times would be an understatement, not only for the United States but the world in its entirety. The U.S. market confusions result primarily from a mix of political uncertainty, lackluster economic growth and performance, and the collapse of the oil and gas industry. Fortunately, for several segments of the underground utility construction industry, life is good. Telecommunications construction in particular is surging at levels not seen since the 1990s. The drive to provide fiber-to-the-premises continues to accelerate, driven by an overwhelming consumer and business appetite for bandwidth. In addition to the well-known giants such as AT&T and Google Fiber, telecommunication utilities of all sizes are engaging in massive installation and upgrade programs. In late 2015, communications technology behemoth Ericsson announced plans to essentially become a contractor and facilitate an even faster installation pace for fiber lines. The company claimed it was making this radical move due to customer demand and that the current fiber network build-out was woefully behind schedule.