ABI Research said CAPEX for microwave backhaul will peak in Western Europe this year at almost $4.4 billion, more than triple the figure for the next-highest region -- Asia-Pacific.
The European spending surge is due to the expansion of 3G networks to new areas, as well as a few initial 4G network deployments.
Analyst Xavier Ortiz said that following the 2010 spending spree, Western European microwave backhaul CAPEX will tumble in 2011 to just over half its peak level.