5G Infrastructure Equipment Global Market Report 2022, By Communication Infrastructure, Network Technology, Application

Executive Summary

Major players in the 5G infrastructure equipment market are AT&T, Verizon Communications, Corning, Fujikura Co., Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Beldon, Intel Corporations, Ericsson, Qualcomm Technologies, Huawei Technologies Co., Samsung Electronics, Cisco Systems Inc., NEC Corporation and Nokia Corporation.

The global 5g infrastructure equipment market is expected grow from $5.86 billion in 2021 to $10.49 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 69.4%. The growth is mainly due to the companies resuming their operations and adapting to the new normal while recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. The market is expected to reach $76.63 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 64.5%.

The 5G infrastructure equipment market comprises of revenue generated by the sales of 5G network hardware or network communication devices supporting 5G technology by establishments that design, build or develops these 5G network infrastructure. The 5G infrastructures include spectrum, Macro-network, small cell, and other network domains.

The main communication infrastructure type of infrastructure equipment are small cell, macro cell, radio access network (RAN) and distributed antenna system (DAS). A radio access network (RAN) is a component of a mobile network that connects end-user devices to the cloud, such as smartphones. This is accomplished by transmitting data via radio waves from end-user devices to RAN transceivers, and then from the transceivers to the core network, which connects to the global internet. The various network technology used are software defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualization (VNFV), mobile edge computing (MEC), fog computing (FC) for energy and utilities, automotive, healthcare, retail, and other applications.

Asia Pacific was the largest region in the 5G infrastructure equipment market in 2021. North America was the second largest region in the 5G infrastructure equipment market. The regions covered in this report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.

The adoption of 5G for smart city networks is the primary factor contributing to the growth of the global 5G infrastructure market. The enhanced features of 5G network such as high speed, reduced or zero latency, wider bandwidth, uniform platform, larger number of connected devices, and extended battery life are powering the smart cities, thereby causing an urban revolution. Zero latency, for instance, enables the sensors and devices that power the city’s transportation and traffic system to automatically redirect traffic and also alert self-driving vehicle systems about the situations on the road. The advanced 5G capabilities such as enhanced security (instantaneous transfer of videos from the security cameras), instant response to emergency situations, and personalized healthcare are expected to bring increased digital inclusion to urban residents. From automated grocery purchase and delivery to complex management of a building’s infrastructure, 5G will enable people to adopt new standards of living. Due to all these enhanced features, the demand for 5G network is growing, and therefore, adoption of 5G for smart city networks is driving the market.

Delay in standardization of spectrum allocation is challenging the growth of 5G infrastructure market. Large quantities of new radio spectrum have been allocated to 5G. 5G can be in low-band spectrum below 1 GHz, mid-band frequencies from 1 GHz to 6 GHz, or high-band spectrum above 6 GHz. The timely deployment of 5G is essential for achieving the objectives of telecom service providers, especially in emerging markets. However, there is a delay in spectrum auction and standardization across many countries. A key reason for the delay is the financial health of the service providers, which have been struggling to pay licensing fees and other penalties. Also, because the unit pricing of the spectrum is high, few countries like India are taking time to raise as much money for the spectrum auction. Moreover, long-term investment in 5G is bound to further dent operators' finances. Therefore, there is a delay in standardization of spectrum allocation. The delay in the use of spectrum for mobile broadband networks also comes at a significant cost.

The Internet of Things (IoT) that has been transforming businesses and peoples’ lives is continuing to ignite new innovations. IoT represents one of the key growth opportunities for 5G telecommunication service providers. A number of factors, including increased demand from consumers and enterprises, and the availability of more affordable devices, are driving the adoption the Internet of Things (IoT) which in turn is expected to drive 5G infrastructures. 5G will be driven largely by IoT applications including remote healthcare, traffic safety and control, smart grid automation, industrial application and control, and remote manufacturing, training, surgery and education. Growth in IoT technology will drive significant operator investment in 5G technology, spectrum and infrastructure.

On January 2020, Samsung announced that it has completed the acquisition of TeleWorld Solutions. The Virginia-based telecommunications company provides wireless networking and consulting services. The deal will make TWS a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung, allowing the brand to continue to offer its consulting services to existing clients. The acquisition of TWS will enable Samsung to meet mobile carriers’ growing needs for improving their 4G and 5G networks, and eventually create new opportunities to enhance their service capabilities to the customers.

The countries covered in the 5G infrastructure equipment market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK and USA.

Companies Mentioned

A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes:

• AT&T
• Verizon Communications
• Corning
• Fujikura Co.
• Hewlett Packard Enterprise
• Beldon
• Intel Corporations
• Ericsson
• Qualcomm Technologies
• Huawei Technologies Co.
• Samsung Electronics
• Cisco Systems Inc.
• NEC Corporation
• Nokia Corporation

Methodology