Utility Private Fifth Generation (5G) Network Slicing Market Report 2026

The utility private fifth generation (5g) network slicing market size has grown exponentially in recent years. It will grow from $1.32 billion in 2025 to $1.7 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.7%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to increase in smart grid modernization projects, growth in renewable energy infrastructure investments, expansion of industrial wireless communication needs, rising utility automation initiatives, demand for secure critical infrastructure networks.

The utility private fifth generation (5g) network slicing market size is expected to see exponential growth in the next few years. It will grow to $4.7 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 29%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to surge in private spectrum allocation policies, increasing adoption of edge computing in utilities, expansion of real time asset monitoring requirements, rising cybersecurity compliance mandates, growing investments in resilient digital infrastructure. Major trends in the forecast period include private 5g network deployment expansion in utilities, growth in mission critical low latency communication networks, increasing adoption of network virtualization and orchestration, rising demand for secure utility connectivity infrastructure, integration of multi slice architecture for diverse utility operations.

The expanding adoption of private 5G networks by utilities is expected to support the growth of the utility private 5G network slicing market going forward. A private 5G network is a dedicated network deployed for a single enterprise or utility, offering secure, high-performance, and fully controlled connectivity, often supported by network slicing for critical applications. The growing adoption of private 5G networks by utilities is influenced by the demand for secure and reliable communication systems. Utility private 5G network slicing enhances private 5G adoption by enabling dedicated and performance-assured network segments for critical operations such as grid control, monitoring, and automation. For example, in December 2024, according to the Office of Communications, a UK-based government regulatory body, as of July 2024, fewer than 30 fully operational commercial private mobile networks had been deployed by mobile network operators, representing an increase of 11 compared to 2023, using 4G, 5G, or hybrid technologies. Therefore, the growing adoption of private 5G networks by utilities is contributing to the growth of the utility private 5G network slicing market.

Leading companies in the utility private 5G network slicing market are emphasizing technological innovation, such as deterministic network slicing for utility applications, to deliver ultra-low latency, assured reliability, and secure isolated connectivity for mission-critical smart grid operations. Deterministic network slicing for utility applications is a 5G capability that guarantees ultra-low latency, high reliability, and isolated connectivity for essential smart grid functions. For example, in January 2024, China United Network Communications Group Co., Ltd., a China-based integrated telecommunications operator, in partnership with the State Grid Corporation of China and Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., launched a 300,000-connection 5G smart grid initiative. The project applies 5G private networks, RedCap technology, and deterministic network slicing to support cost-efficient large-scale smart grid applications, including electricity consumption data collection, distributed photovoltaic integration, and converged power distribution terminals. This infrastructure ensures ultra-low latency, strong reliability, and secure connectivity for critical utility operations while supporting China’s carbon peak and carbon neutrality objectives and adapting to evolving energy systems and emerging power services.

In November 2024, Nokia Corporation, a Finland-based telecommunications and technology company, partnered with Southern California Edison to deliver secure, high-capacity connectivity for utility operations using CBRS spectrum, cloud-native 5G core technology, and network slicing to support real-time grid monitoring, automation, emergency response, and distributed energy resource management. Southern California Edison is a US-based electric utility focused on grid modernization and clean energy transition.

Major companies operating in the utility private fifth generation (5g) network slicing market are Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Verizon Communications Inc., AT&T Inc., Dell Technologies Inc., International Business Machines Corporation, Cisco Systems Inc., Vodafone Group Plc, Qualcomm Technologies Inc., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company, Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson, NEC Corporation, Nokia Corporation, ZTE Corporation, DISH Network Corporation, Orange S.A. (Orange Business Services), T-Systems International GmbH, Ceragon Networks Ltd., KORE Wireless Group Inc., Parallel Wireless Inc., Baicells Technologies Inc., Celona Inc., Nybsys Inc., Firecell SAS, Radio Software Research Foundation (RSRF), and Highway 9 Networks Inc.

Tariffs have created both constraints and opportunities for the utility private 5G network slicing market by raising the cost of imported radio access network equipment, core network hardware, and edge computing devices while encouraging localized telecom manufacturing and infrastructure development. Hardware and standalone network deployments are the most affected segments, particularly in regions such as North America and parts of Europe that rely heavily on cross-border telecom supply chains. However, these tariffs have also stimulated domestic production, increased demand for software-defined network slicing solutions, and accelerated investments in cloud-based and managed network services, creating selective growth prospects within the market.

Utility private fifth generation (5G) network slicing refers to the deployment of a dedicated private 5G wireless network for utility operators such as electricity, water, gas, and renewable energy providers in which the network is logically segmented into multiple isolated network slices, each engineered to meet specific operational requirements for latency, reliability, bandwidth, and security. These slices enable utilities to support diverse mission-critical and non-critical use cases such as smart grid control, substation automation, real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and workforce connectivity over a single private 5G infrastructure while ensuring service-level assurance and operational resilience.

The primary components of utility private fifth generation network slicing include hardware, software, and services. Hardware refers to the physical infrastructure, including routers, switches, and fifth generation-enabled devices, required to deploy and operate private network slices. These solutions are implemented through deployment modes such as on-premises and cloud-based models and support network types including standalone and non-standalone architectures. They are used across applications such as smart grid, remote monitoring, asset management, field area network, and other applications and serve end users including electric utilities, water utilities, gas utilities, and other end users.

The utility private fifth generation (5G) network slicing market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing services such as spectrum planning and licensing support, radio access network deployment, network slicing configuration, core network virtualization, secure connectivity services, and network orchestration and automation. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The utility private fifth-generation (5G) network slicing market also includes sales of field workforce solutions, substation sensor networks, private 5G for power plants, and remote pump station control. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is, the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

The utility private fifth generation (5g) network slicing market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides utility private fifth generation (5g) network slicing market statistics, including utility private fifth generation (5g) network slicing industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a utility private fifth generation (5g) network slicing market share, detailed utility private fifth generation (5g) network slicing market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the utility private fifth generation (5g) network slicing industry. This utility private fifth generation (5g) network slicing market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

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