This article was provided by Richard Jonker, VP marketing and business development at NETGEAR AV.
You know the scenario: Every organization needs an AV system that can grow with them, adapt to new technologies, and work seamlessly with the IT infrastructure. Then you hit the wall. Proprietary hardware that’s expensive to upgrade, incompatible protocols, infrastructure that’s obsolete before it’s paid off. For decades, this was the cost of doing business in Pro AV.
Not anymore.
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The global Pro AV market stands at $332 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $402 billion by 2030, according to AVIXA's IOTA Report. Driving this $70 billion expansion is a fundamental architectural shift: the migration from proprietary, hardware-locked systems to flexible, network-based AV-over-IP infrastructure. Whether you’re an enterprise buying these systems, an integrator deploying them, or a manufacturer building them, this transformation unlocks 10 distinct growth opportunities.
1. AV over IP Becomes the Default Architecture
Traditional signal routing built on HDMI, HDBaseT, and SDI is giving way to IP networks. The numbers tell the story: In 2025, roughly 38% of AV deployments use IP-based distribution. By 2030, that figure is expected to hit 65%. The implications are profound: Every new conference room, every classroom upgrade, every stadium expansion now starts with the network.
2. Broadcast Meets IT Infrastructure
Broadcasters are migrating from SDI baseband to IP networks running at 25GbE and 100GbE. These speeds are essential for handling uncompressed 4K and 8K video under SMPTE ST 2110 standards, which separate video, audio, and metadata into distinct network streams.
The opportunity lies in designing broadcast networks that balance performance and cost. Specialists who can architect resilient, precisely timed IP infrastructures while managing the total cost of ownership will capture premium margins in this demanding vertical.
3. The Pixel Explosion in Live Events
Arena LED walls are jumping from 25 million pixels in 2025 to approaching 1 billion pixels by 2030, a 190% compound annual growth rate. Traditional distribution methods can't handle this scale. AV over IP is the only viable path forward, routing massive video feeds across standard network infrastructure. For venues, this means investing in multi-gigabit switching. For integrators, it means an entirely new category of high-value installations where networking expertise meets visual spectacle.
4. Video Surveillance Becomes a Strategic Asset
The $38.4 billion surveillance segment is growing at 7.7% annually, driven by AI analytics and higher-resolution cameras. Organizations now use surveillance to optimize operations, tracking customer flow in retail, monitoring production lines, and enhancing safety. Integrators who position themselves as strategic advisors will command premium pricing and long-term relationships.
5. Residential AV Demands Enterprise-Grade Networks
The smart home is no longer a luxury niche. Residential integrators reported median revenues of $1.1 million in 2024, with projected growth of 6.1% in 2025. Homeowners now expect whole-home audio, 4K streaming in every room, automated lighting, security systems, and IoT devices, all running seamlessly on a single network.
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Today's high-end homes require structured wiring, PoE for devices like access points and cameras, and managed switches are now table stakes, creating recurring service revenue opportunities.
6. The Relentless March to Higher Bandwidth
Corporate environments are transitioning from 1Gb to multi-gig and 10Gb connections. Broadcast facilities are moving from 10Gb to 25Gb, 40Gb, and 100Gb. This creates a sustained revenue opportunity. While the cost per gigabit decreases over time, the total demand for capacity grows faster. A 10Gb switch that cost $5,000 three years ago might be $3,500 today, but organizations need four times as many ports to support new applications. Switches purpose-built for AV with features like IGMP snooping, PTP timing, and traffic prioritization command premium prices because they solve real problems that IT switches can't.
7. Cloud-Managed Digital Signage Takes Off
Digital signage has shed its reputation as static displays showing cafeteria menus. Modern deployments are cloud-managed, dynamically updated, and distributed across hundreds or thousands of endpoints in retail chains, hotel groups, and university campuses. The combination of 5G connectivity, Wi-Fi 7, and cloud platforms is driving double-digit growth rates. For integrators, this represents recurring revenue through content management services, analytics subscriptions, and ongoing network optimization.
8. Ecosystem Partnerships Reduce Integration Risk
No single vendor can deliver every component of a modern AV over IP system. Success requires validated interoperability across cameras, encoders, decoders, switches, software platforms, and control systems.
Companies that invest in ecosystem partnerships—certification programs, co-branded solutions, joint testing—are building trust at scale. When an integrator sees that a switch has been validated with their preferred encoder and control system, it removes uncertainty. NETGEAR, for example, works with nearly 500 ecosystem partners to validate workflows. This collaborative approach accelerates adoption and reduces project risk.
9. Advanced Support and Managed Services Create Recurring Revenue
As AV systems become network-dependent, uptime becomes non-negotiable. Integrators are offering paid SLAs, remote monitoring, and proactive design support: high-margin services that guarantee performance. For many, managed services smooth out the feast-or-famine cycle of project work.
10. Emerging Markets Offer Above-Average Growth
While North America and Western Europe remain large markets, the highest growth rates are elsewhere. Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Central and Eastern Europe are projected to grow 3–5% faster than developed markets. Companies establishing credibility in these geographies early, through training programs, distributor relationships, and reference installations, will capture outsized market share as these regions mature.
These 10 opportunities share a common thread: AV is becoming inseparable from the network. Signal distribution, content management, device control, analytics, and security all depend on robust IP infrastructure.
The implications are clear. Technical mastery of networking protocols is now as important as understanding video formats. Ecosystem partnerships matter as much as product specifications. Global execution capabilities separate market leaders from the rest.
The $70 billion growth opportunity between now and 2030 will flow to organizations that recognize these realities. The architecture of the future is being built today. Make sure you're holding the blueprint.