News Release

For Immediate Release

1997 U.S. CPE line shipments grew to 12.85 million, representing an 11 percent increase over last year.  Further analysis of year over year growth indicates that Total CPE New Lines increased 8.5 percent and Total CPE Add-On lines increased 19.4 percent.  This as reported in the newly released 1997 Year-End Monitor Report, a publication of The Eastern Management Group, Inc. that tracks the PBX and Key/Hybrid Telephone System markets.

PBX Market Analysis

Overall Total PBX Line/Station shipments grew at an average rate of 9.7 percent.

Market leader Nortel shipped 54,853 more Total Lines/Stations than Lucent in 1997, reversing the market share position of the top two players.  Nortel's total shipments increased 18.7 percent over last year (1996) – the second largest increase in Total PBX Line/Station shipments recorded by all manufacturers. Mitel posted the largest increase in Total PBX Line/Station shipments, with shipment growth of over 22 percent.  Siemens' shipments increased 3 percent.

"It was a tight race this year between Nortel and Lucent.  Both companies were swapping the #1 and #2 spots all year long, but Nortel's effort in the Fourth Quarter put them on top for the year," stated Ed Tomasi, a consultant with The Eastern Management Group.

Only two companies posted a year over year loss in their Total PBX Line/Station shipments, Fujitsu and Ericcson.  Fujitsu's shipments fell 38.4 percent and Ericcson's shipments declined 5.6 percent.

Key / Hybrid Market Analysis

Overall, the Key / Hybrid Station (line) market increased 12.3 percent in 1997.

Executone, Toshiba, and Nitsuko were the standout companies in the Key/Hybrid market.  Each company posted substantial growth in Station (line) shipments.  Executone's shipments increased by 50 percent, with Toshiba increasing 43 percent and Nitsuko increasing 22 percent.

Lucent remained the market leader with 22 percent of the KTS / Hybrid Station (line) market share, despite posting a small gain of 0.2 percent in Station (line) shipments over 1996.  Nortel followed with 18 percent of the market share and a year over year growth of 9.4 percent.

Despite the double-digit growth of Station (line) shipments, Key / Hybrid System shipments fell slightly compared to 1996. Key / Hybrid System shipments dropped an average of 2 percent.  Only two companies grew by 10 percent or more — Toshiba and Lucent, with 18 percent and 11 percent growth respectively.

For a chart showing Total US Line Shipments by Vendor, point your Internet browser here

About The Eastern Management Group

The Eastern Management Group is the oldest and largest management consulting and market research firm engaged by clients exclusively in the telecommunications industry.  For more information about the Monitor program or The Eastern Management Group, please call (908) 306-8800 or visit us on the World Wide Web at www.EasternManagement.com.