This study examines the growth opportunities for communication service providers (CSPs) in the US 5G network slicing market. It provides an assessment of the emerging CSP business models for network slicing, explores strategic imperatives and deployment timelines, and includes a high-level discussion of the emerging monetization models for network slicing-enabled services.

5G network slicing allows mobile operators to build end-to-end virtual networks targeting specific applications, entities, or groups of entities. By creating multiple logically separate, optimized, and self-contained virtual networks on a shared physical infrastructure, mobile operators can support a diverse range of use cases and their varied network performance requirements. These requirements are supported by network capabilities based on the service-level agreement (SLA) between enterprise customers and CSPs.

5G network slicing also can be used to enable next-generation consumer services such as cloud gaming or interactive lifestyle applications, which CSPs can monetize on a premium basis. With 5G network slicing, CSPs can improve service delivery for existing applications, and they can create new markets.

Frost & Sullivan recommends that CSPs prioritize their investments in 5G network slicing solutions and evaluate how they can help generate a premium over existing connectivity revenue by delivering improved 5G communication features with network slicing.

Author: Vikrant Gandhi