Digital Lifescapes

The global 5G mobile communications sector continues the remarkable progress across many key markets. As of Q3 2023, the world added 537 million 5G wireless connections, bringing global totals to 1.6 billion, which represents an increase of 71 percent over the past year. This growth trajectory suggests an optimistic outlook for the future of 5G adoption according to 5G Americas, and the latest market data from Omdia research. "The global 5G landscape shows positive momentum as innovation and collaboration continue to be the mainstays for long-term progress," said Chris Pearson, president of 5G Americas . 5G Networks Market Development Looking ahead, Omdia forecasts that the global 5G connection base will likely reach 1.8 billion by the end of 2023 and 7.9 billion by 2028, as 5G-Advanced network improvements are implemented and work towards 6G is completed. While this represents a significant expansion, it is important to note that this growth may not be linear.  Factors such ...

Broadband internet access is an essential enabler of the Global Networked Economy. National, regional, and local government economic development efforts are being supported by new telecom service provider investment in modern infrastructure. The upside growth opportunities in urban and rural areas could be significant, based on recent market research findings. 5G Cellular Services Market Development 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) allows Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to provide Quality of Service (QoS) offerings with higher speeds and unlimited data, creating a demand for 5G FWA, which will continue to grow over the next few years. According to the latest worldwide market study by ABI Research, 5G FWA subscriptions will reach 72 million by 2027, representing 35 percent of the total FWA market in 2027. Although LTE FWA services have already been widely deployed worldwide, they often cannot provide the speed needed to compete with wired broadband connections. 5G FWA is set to offer data...

Across the globe, mobile network operators continue to invest in public network infrastructure to support the growing demand for new applications. Moreover, there is an increasing need for purpose-built private cellular networks that enable the deployment of new Internet of Things (IoT) apps. The fourth-generation (4G) long-term evolution (LTE) mobile technology standard and the fifth-generation (5G) standard are the foundation for these new emerging wireless network use cases. Private LTE/5G infrastructure is any 3GPP-based LTE and/or 5G network deployed for a specific enterprise or industrial customer that provides 'dedicated access'. Private Wireless Network Market Development It includes networks that may utilize dedicated -- licensed, unlicensed, or shared -- spectrum, dedicated infrastructure, and private devices embedded with unique subscriber identity module (SIM) chips.  Furthermore, private LTE/5G infrastructure carries traffic native to a specific organization, with ...

The Internet of Things (IoT) has moved into the mainstream by virtue of the rapidly evolving key benefits across a variety of industries. Due to developments in radio technology and falling component costs, the Internet is now being used for machines to communicate with each other and/or directly with humans. Juniper Research has identified private cellular wireless networks as a key driver of the growth of IoT adoption over the next five years. This trend has been slowly establishing itself as LTE networks can be leveraged to do so, offering a wireless data connection. With the introduction of fifth-generation (5G) wireless networking technologies, Juniper Research now anticipates that the infrastructure deployment will serve to accelerate the adoption of private cellular networks over the next five years. IoT Technology Market Development According to the latest worldwide market study by Juniper Research, the total number of IoT connections will reach 83 billion by 2024 -- ri...

Mobile network service providers are upbeat about their new revenue sources in the future. The emerging Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) technologies continue to gain momentum in the Global Networked Economy, as more organizations explore the application possibilities. Berg Insight released their latest study findings about the market for cellular M2M terminals. About 4.9 million cellular M2M terminals were shipped globally during 2016 -- that's an increase of 28 percent from the previous year. M2M Technology Market Development Growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.8 percent, Berg Insight believes that this number is expected to reach 13.7 million M2M terminals in 2022. Berg Insight defines cellular terminals as standalone devices intended for connecting M2M applications to a cellular network. These include primarily general-purpose cellular routers, gateways and modems that are enclosed in a chassis and have at least one input or output...

The mobile internet continues to drive mobile network infrastructure investment. 4G LTE will grow from approximately 30 percent of global mobile subscriptions in 2017 to 50 percent in 2024, according to the latest worldwide study by ABI Research. The most advanced LTE service, Gigabit LTE, is expected to near two million subscriptions globally in 2017, which is less than 5 percent of LTE Advanced Pro subscriptions in 2017. Gigabit LTE devices, launched in 2017, will far exceed the subscription numbers, as few cell sites are expected to reach Gigabit LTE speeds in 2017. Gigabit LTE is a pivotal piece of an advanced 4G mobile network that can support an operator’s mobile service goals over the next six to eight years and beyond. LTE Network Market Development "Gigabit LTE is a specific configuration of the LTE Advanced Pro standard and is expected to account for 70 percent of LTE Advanced Pro subscriptions by 2026," said Prayerna Raina, senior analyst at ABI Research . ...

Public safety 4G/5G LTE technology will reach the mainstream markets after 2020 as trials and deployments gain momentum across the world, according to the latest global market study by ABI Research. Hardware revenue is expected to grow by 30 percent annually, reaching $540 million in 2025. The United States, UK, and South Korea markets will host the world’s first three operational public safety LTE wireless networks by the end of 2017 or early 2018. Many countries will likely follow, either through a dedicated public safety LTE network or via a hosted or shared infrastructure model. Public Safety LTE Market Development "Coexistence with legacy public safety protocols is still crucial, as legacy protocols, such as TETRA and P25, are still being deployed by agencies across the world," said Lian Jye Su, senior analyst at ABI Research . Public safety LTE offers features that generate augmented user experience for public safety agencies through video streaming, file sharin...

Wireless communications and mobile internet access over cellular networks continue to be an essential component of next-generation telecommunication system enhancements. While deployments of 4G network technologies are still occurring across the globe, plans are underway for 5G. That being said, 5G deployments indoors and in venues may be delayed by one year or more, when compared to outdoor 5G deployments starting from 2020. ABI Research estimates the global equipment market for in-building wireless -- including active distributed antenna systems (DAS), passive DAS, and repeaters -- will reach close to $10 billion by 2025. 5G Wireless Infrastructure Market Development The overall system revenue in 2025, which includes services and equipment, will grow at a CAGR of 15 percent to reach $19 billion in 2025. Out of this market, 5G in-building wireless equipment will account for $509 million in 2025. "As 5G nears full specification, mobile network operators will face challenge...

Mobile telecom service provider global infrastructure investment in 2016 was not what vendors had anticipated. But there were pockets of growth that in a few key markets where mobile internet demand had fueled local expansion. According to the latest worldwide market study by IHS Markit , during the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2016, the global macrocell mobile infrastructure market totaled $11 billion, rising 7 percent sequentially, driven by strong activity in a few Asian countries such as India, Myanmar and Vietnam. Mobile Infrastructure Market Development On a year-over-year basis, the overall market declined 14 percent, dragged down by all regions -- essentially confirming that the mobile infrastructure market has entered the post-LTE-peak era. 4G LTE was somewhat of a bright spot -- up 6 percent quarter-over-quarter driven by E-UTRAN (evolved UMTS terrestrial radio access networks) -- but down 16 percent year-over-year. 2G or 3G infrastructure spending was up 10 percent seque...

Wireless communications sector continues a global expansion. The broadband 4G LTE market is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20 percent, from $1.1 billion in 2015 to reach $2.6 billion in 2020, according to the latest worldwide market study by IHS Markit. The total addressable market for private LTE is compounded by increasing revenues from both devices and evolved Node Bs (eNBs) shipped for use on private networks that are based on wireless cellular technology. Demand has increased for data alongside voice communications within a range of applications. The broadband market is opening up to multiple sectors -- such as public safety and security, transportation, military, utilities, industrial and public access mobile radio. Private LTE Market Development Mobile communication users are now requiring high bandwidth solutions to facilitate applications such as video streaming, internet access and advanced mapping use cases. "Broadband-capable tech...

As the growing applications for mobile internet access place greater demands on wireless broadband communication networks around the globe, telecom service providers are updating their infrastructure to support the traffic. There are more than 7.2 billion wireless connections, including 1.45 billion LTE connections, around the world today that are operating with the technology standards developed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). 5G Americas, the industry trade association and voice of 5G and LTE for the Americas, announced the publication of a technical Executive Summary titled "Inside 3GPP Release 13- Understanding the Standards for LTE Advanced Enhancements" that outlines many of the innovations that will lay the groundwork for future mobile wireless networks. "LTE is not a yesterday story. It is a technology for today and tomorrow. LTE to LTE-Advanced Pro provides transformational innovation and will be the mobile broadband foundation for the ne...

The next generation of wireless communications will apply 5G technologies, and demand for service offerings is evolving slowly. The very first discussions about 5G started in 2012, and in 2013 NTT DoCoMo considered the possibility of deploying 5G in time for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. Soon after, South Korea set the target for 5G pre-standard national service -- in reality, a 4.5G offering -- for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in 2018.  Since then, 5G R&D developments have occurred in China, Europe and Japan -- fueling the hype to a level never seen for 3G and 4G. Moreover, Verizon announced last year at the CTIA show that it has a progressive 5G plan -- with first commercial deployments anticipated in 2017. 5G Service Market Development According to the latest worldwide study by IHS Markit , 5G will come in two waves: first, sub-6GHz in 2017, followed by the real 5G at higher spectrum bands in 2020. Sub-6GHz spectrum is not new: it’s where existing wireless communica...

One of the key principles that has enabled global wireless telecom network connectivity is the development and implementation of technology standards. As the Internet of Things (IoT) continues to evolve, new standards will set the stage for market development to blossom. According to the latest worldwide market study by ABI Research, new 3GPP IoT standards will account for more than 50 percent of cellular IoT radio node unit shipments by 2021. Moreover, Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) is forecast to consume more than 70 percent of Release 13 shipments and more than one third of all cellular IoT shipments -- a value which is greater than legacy M2M or the current Cat-1 standard. 4G LTE Mobile Network Standards  "While some in the industry view the new 3GPP standards as competitors to the current non-3GPP LPWA technologies and predict their demise, we believe that NB-IoT will complement LPWA," said Nick Marshall, research director at ABI Research . However, ABI analysts belie...

5G Americas shared mobile subscriber data for the end of year 2015, which included an industry milestone with LTE connections reaching over one billion worldwide. North America greatly contributed to global LTE connections with 237 million of the 1.1 billion, as of the fourth quarter (4Q) 2015. North America Market Update "It is no surprise that LTE has become the standard mobile technology for the North America region and continues to flourish as more consumers are adopting the technology year after year," said Chris Pearson, President of 5G Americas . The rapid increase in 4G LTE connections, not only in North America but worldwide, is leading the industry on the right track to the commercial standardized deployment of 5G in 2020 and beyond. LTE in North America covers 54 percent of all mobile connections in the region. This data compares to the next leading world regional markets of Western Europe and Oceania & Asia Pacific both with 24 percent market share for...

Global 4G LTE subscribers are projected to grow 35 percent compounded annually over the next five years, from 516 million to 2.3 billion, according to the latest market study by TeleGeography . LTE market penetration has been the greatest in South Korea, where the 4G technology accounted for 63 percent of wireless subscribers in 2014. Close behind South Korea is the United States market, where LTE overtook 3G as the leading mobile communications technology last year -- to account for just over half of wireless subscribers, and Japan, where LTE had a subscriber market share of 41 percent in 2014. While 4G LTE will continue to grow in each of these leading nations over the next five years to account for between 80 and 90 percent of their respective mobile subscribers, mobile networks in the rest of the world will now begin to catch up. The country to watch is China, where a boom in TD-LTE network deployment and soaring use of mobile internet access and data service usage are occurr...

The ongoing adoption of 4G LTE mobile network deployment continues to rapidly accelerate, with nearly 635 million total connections worldwide as of the first quarter of 2015 -- that's a 151 percent increase year-over-year according to Ovum research. North America led the world by increasing its LTE market share to 44 percent -- compared to a global market share for LTE of 9 percent. Latin America led the world in the growth rate of LTE connections with an impressive 396 percent growth increase year-over-year. North America Market Development LTE has a 44 percent share of market of all mobile wireless connections in North America -- this compares to the next highest ranking regions, Western Europe at 16 percent and Asia Pacific at 13 percent. Penetration of LTE in North America is at 50 percent compared to Western Europe at 21 percent and Asia Pacific at 14 percent. "North America continues to prove its leadership in LTE with metrics such as population coverage, share ...

Mobile communication network infrastructure is a proven catalyst for economic growth. Therefore, more nations have assigned and auctioned radio spectrum to accommodate anticipated traffic that results from increasing mobile internet usage. 4G LTE-Advanced networks have been actively deployed around the world, according to the latest global market study by ABI Research. At the end of 2014, LTE-Advanced covered its first 100 million people worldwide -- that's just 4 years since the network technology inception. ABI Research predicts that the coverage will reach 1 billion mobile subscribers in 4 more years. At the end of 2014, there were 49 commercially available LTE-Advanced networks around the world. Western European operators lead the commercialization with 20 operators, followed by 13 in Asia-Pacific; however, North America still commands the largest population coverage at 7.8 percent. "All four major operators of the United States have either commercially deployed ...

The number of European households within a reach of high-speed broadband of at least 30 Mbps download speeds reached 62 percent of EU homes at the end of 2013, according to a new market study by IHS. The study, sponsored by the European Commission (EC), also shows that 4G LTE wireless coverage across Europe recorded a dramatic 32 percent increase in 2013. One of the main goals of the "Digital Agenda for Europe" is a universal high-speed (at least 30 Mbps download) broadband coverage across the EU by 2020. "According to our research, challenges remain in passing this target, with rural Next Generation Access (NGA) coverage continuing to be especially problematic," said Alzbeta Fellenbaum, senior analyst at IHS . Only 18.1 percent of EU rural homes had access to NGA broadband at the end of 2013. While this represents a considerable improvement by nearly six percentage points compared to 2012, a lot remains to be done if universal NGA coverage is to be achieved...

Mobile internet adoption worldwide is being enabled by ongoing infrastructure investment. 4G Americas reports that the North American market remains in the leadership position of LTE market share worldwide -- with 39 percent of the world’s 373 million LTE connections at the end of September 2014. LTE connections in North America have grown to 145 million subscriptions, representing 36 percent of the 398 million total mobile subscriptions in the region at the end of the third quarter of 2014, according to Informa Telecoms & Media research. Latin America continues its growth of HSPA and LTE mobile broadband reaching a 35 percent market share of all mobile connections in the region. LTE and HSPA in North America Market "LTE adoption in North America continues to set the course for further growth in mobile broadband innovation with operators continuing to evolve their networks," said Chris Pearson, president of 4G Americas . "It is evident that customers continu...

​As the mobile service provider's traditional sources of communications revenues decrease, the move towards 4G LTE enables new potential streams of revenues -- including in-store retail applications, big data analytics, customer experience management (CEM) and personalized advertising. Location-based technologies are at the center of these market developments. According to their latest global market study, ABI Research has considered the applications, industry verticals and technologies that will drive new location-based revenue growth for mobile carriers worldwide. "Location for carriers is no longer about navigation applications. Location will become an essential tool in network optimization and CEM, as we move to LTE, HetNets, and personalized subscriber packages," said  Patrick Connolly, senior analyst at ABI Research . While these advances gives a clear return on investment, ABI says that there is also significant upside on new areas -- such as retail/indoor ...