Alpha Networks, a Taiwan-based maker of networking/communication devices/equipment, expects three product lines, data center switches, smart TVs and metro Ethernet access switches (MEAS), to be major sources of growth in its 2012 revenues, according to company chairman John Lee.

Alpha Networks' shipments of data center switches accounted for 20% of its total shipments of switches in 2011, company CTO Tim Kang indicated. Global demand for data center switches is growing fast along with increasing cloud computing applications, and Alpha Networks expects to obtain increasing ODM orders for such switches from international vendors, Kang pointed out. While the proportion of data center switch shipments for 40GbE models will rise, Alpha Networks will focus on 10GbE models and may begin development of 100GbE models in 2012, Kang said.

OTT (over the top) STBs (set-top boxes) are the mainstream of Alpha Networks' smart TV product line, with 1.5 million OTT STBs shipped in 2011, Kang noted. While its OTT STBs have so far been available for sale through retail channels, Alpha Networks will begin to seek sales through telecom carriers in 2012, Kang indicated. In addition, Alpha Networks expects to ship one million IP cameras in 2012, Kang said.

Alpha Networks has begun development of LTE broadband routers and femtocells for branded clients and may start volume production in the second half of 2012, Lee indicated.

Alpha Networks will expand the production capacity at its factory in Changshu, eastern China, from four production lines currently to 8-12 at the end of 2012, Lee said.