A new Vertical Systems report shows an ever-more-competitive Ethernet marketplace, as AT&T lost ground and Cox Communications became the first cable company in the top four U.S. Ethernet providers....

Rick Malone, principal at Vertical Systems, said the volatility of the market stemmed from how competitive it has become.

“As anticipated, competition in the business Ethernet services market heated up during the first half of 2007, resulting in considerable port share fluctuation,” he said in a prepared statement. “The dense availability of low cost metro services boosted share for many regional U.S. Ethernet providers, including MSOs. Additionally, the aggressive deployment of new fiber infrastructure for residential applications enabled broader accessibility of native Ethernet services for adjacent business sites.”