This report analyzes the 3Q24 wireless infrastructure market worldwide and covers 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G radio access network (RAN) and core network nodes. It presents historical data from 2016 to 2023, quarterly market size and vendor market shares, and a detailed market forecast through 2029 for 2G/3G/4G/5G RAN, including Open vRAN, and core networks (EPC, vEPC, and 5GC), for each region (North America, Europe Middle East Africa, Asia Pacific, Caribbean Latin America). The historical data accounts for the sales of more than 30 wireless infrastructure vendors, including a few vendors that shared confidential sales data with TERAL RESEARCH. The market forecast is based on a model correlating wireless infrastructure vendor sales with 20 years of service provider network rollout pattern analysis, and upgrade and expansion plans.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT
KEY TAKEAWAYS: 3Q24 DELIVERED SOME IMPROVEMENTS BUT IT WAS A MIXED BAG
3Q24 CONTINUES TO SHOW SOME IMPROVEMENT, BUT IT WAS A MIXED BAG
- NORTH AMERICA MADE THE QUARTER
- OPEN RAN WAS THE BRIGHTEST SPOT OF ALL CATEGORIES
- EVEN WITH A SLOWER PACE OF ROLLOUTS, 5G REMAINS THE BRIGHT SPOT
- A faster migration to 5G SA is greatly desired
- The potential for LTE-A and VoLTE upgrades remains phenomenal
- The need for IMS has never been greater, what's wrong with voice?
- The need for new EPC is vanishing but capacity expansion continues
- ALTHOUGH HUAWEI STAYS #1, ERICSSON IS CLOSING THE GAP
- For RAN market share, Ericsson and Huawei are neck AND neck
- IN CORE NETWORKS, HUAWEI AND ZTE COMBINED COMMAND A 62% MARKET SHARE, ERICSSON STAYED #2
- The prolonged slow migration to 5G SA is over, 3Q24 showed a PICKUP
- In virtual EPC sales, Huawei and Ericsson are neck and neck in the market lumpiness
- Gaining or keeping market share in the EPC/vEPC market is a tough balancing act
AS RIGHTLY PREDICTED, WE HAVE PASSED THE PEAK AND 2023 WAS THE SECOND YEAR OF THE DISINVESTMENT CYCLE, 2024 WILL BE THE THIRD YEAR
- LIKE 4G, 5G WILL HAVE A LONG TAIL...
- BUT UNLIKE PREVIOUS CYCLES, THERE IS NO NEW G TO CREATE A NEW INVESTMENT CYCLE; 5G REMAINS THE BRIGHT SPOT
- WE HAVE CUT OUR 2024 FORECAST TO REFLECT THE SLOWER 3Q24 THAN ANTICIPATED
- AS SAID IN OUR 2Q24 REPORT, THE MARKET HAS ENTERED CORRECTION TERRITORY
- AT&T's open RAN plan brings North America back to growth this year
- Post-5G peak, all other regions will BE down or flat at best
OUR LONG-TERM WIRELESS INFRASTRUCTURE MARKET FORECAST POINTS TO FLATNESS AND SLIGHT DECLINING TREND
- FURTHER EXACERBATED BY THE VIBRANT SECONDHAND MARKET FOR 4G AND 5G EQUIPMENT COMING FROM THE REMOVAL OF THE CHINESE VENDORS IN SPECIFIC COUNTRIES THAT SWAMPS OTHER MARKETS
- With Germany gearing up to remove Huawei's 5G equipment, we expect another cycle of used kits to flood the secondhand market in 2025-2026
- AFTER THE PAUSE, OPEN RAN WILL START TO RAMP UP THIS YEAR
- Geopolitics fueled both the open RAN ecosystem and traditional 5G RAN rollouts led by Ericsson, Nokia, and Samsung
- HOME TO THE WORLD'S LARGEST WIRELESS NETWORK FOOTPRINTS, ASIA PACIFIC WILL REMAIN THE LARGEST MARKET
- NORTH AMERICA WILL REMAIN THE WORLD'S SECOND LARGEST MARKET
- EMEA'S 5G WILL DECLINE THROUGH 2029
- CALA IS BOUNCING BACK WITH POTENTIAL GROWTH AHEAD