$625 billion opportunity  for 5G operators 

5G is an extraordinarily flexible technology that can be used in many sectors. 5G in the telecom industry is one of the great priorities for all players in the sector. It’ll enable faster speeds, lower latency, and more reliable connections than ever before. For telecom companies, this means a need for faster network infrastructure and higher capacity networks.

 
  
5G technology is expected to allow more devices to connect to the internet enabling new technologies and applications at lower latency (less than 10ms). Technological innovation has also paved the way for new competitors who are newer and more agile than traditional providers, and this has placed the industry itself in crisis. This includes OTTs, i.e. media companies that offer digital content and services through the Internet without going through traditional distribution systems.

 
As per Juniper Research, operators will generate $625 billion from 5G services globally by 2027; rising from $310 billion in 2023. The report predicts that this growth of 100% over the next four years will be driven by the migration of mobile subscriptions to 5G networks, and the increasing inclusion of eSIMs in devices such as laptops and Wi-Fi hotspots.

 
 
The research forecasts that 80 per cent of global operator-billed service revenue will be attributable to 5G by 2027; allowing operators to secure a return on investment into their 5G networks. However, the increasing implementation of eSIMs into new devices will drive global cellular data traffic to grow by over 180 per cent between 2023 and 2027, as data traffic is offloaded from fixed and Wi-Fi networks to 5G.

 
“eSIM-capable devices will drive significant growth in cellular data, as consumers leverage cellular networks for use cases that have historically used fixed networks”. “Operators must ensure that networks, including 5G and upcoming 6G networks, are futureproofed by implementing new technologies across the entirety of networks”, advises the research author.

 
To prepare for this increasing demand in cellular data, the report predicts that 6G standards must adopt innovative technologies that are not currently used in 5G standards. It identified NTNs (Nonterrestrial Networks) and sub-1TeraHz frequency bands as key technologies that must be at the centre of initial trials and tests of 6G networks, to provide increased data capabilities over existing 5G networks.

 
As a result, it urges the telecommunications industry to form partnerships with specialists in non-terrestrial connectivity; thus benefiting from lower investment costs into 6G networks.

S Mohini Ratna, Editor, VARINDIA