Pretty good really -)12 May 2011 19:31
Pace Snatches Moto's Set-Top Crown
May 12, 2011 | Jeff Baumgartner | Post a comment | inShare.Post a CommentPrint | Reprint | Email This | RSSno ratingsLogin to RateStrong sales to cable operators in North and South America helped Pace plc unseat Motorola Mobility Inc. (NYSE: MMI) as the world's top set-top box supplier in 2010, according to new data from IHS Screen Digest.
The U.K.-based company took the lead for the first time ever after shipping 20.7 million units in 2010, a 21.1 percent increase over its 17.1 million shipments in 2009. Motorola, meanwhile, saw shipments rise just 4.2 percent, to 19 million units.
IHS Screen Digest said Pace's solid 2010 was marked by its ability to grab market share from Motorola and Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO) and snare high-volume deals at Comcast Corp. (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) and Net Servicios of Brazil.
At Comcast, Pace has been successful selling its digital-to-analog Digital Terminal Adapter (DTA) devices and more advanced, IP-capable "RNG"-class digital boxes. Comcast has also been using a Pace-made set-top for its Web-slinging "Xcalibur" technical trial, setting the stage for deeper involvement as the MSO looks to expand its pilot work and head toward commercial deployments. (See Comcast 'RNG' Set-Tops Have IPTV Potential , What's Inside Comcast's Parker Box? and Comcast Tests Broadband-Fed Xcalibur Service.)
Although Pace held the high ground on shipments, Motorola still led on 2010 set-top revenues -- $2.4 billion, down 9.5 percent from 2009's $2.7 billion. Pace STB revenues jumped 8.1 percent to $1.9 billion. The research firm noted that Moto and Cisco had average sales prices about 60 percent higher than their European rivals.
Here's how the 2010 numbers stacked up for the top four set-top makers:
Table 1: Top-4 TV Set-Top Box Brand Shipment Ranking (unit shipments in millions)
Company 2010 Rank 2009 2010 2010 Percentage Growth
Pace 1 17.1 20.7 21.1%
Motorola 2 18.2 19.0 4.2%
Technicolor 3 12.4 12.9 3.9%
Cisco 4 8.4 11.1 33.2%
Source: IHS Screen Digest May 2011