Frost Radar™: 5G Network Infrastructure, 2022

Frost & Sullivan defines 5G network infrastructure to include the following:
•     Radio access networks (RAN)
•     Transport networks
•     Core networks, which may include one or more edge networks

5G introduces many disruptive technologies, from new chips and devices to new network architectures, that will impact all areas of network infrastructure. The promise of 5G for consumers and for enterprises is huge. The impact to communications service providers and their suppliers is equally large (in a good way). Growth opportunities abound.

The 5G core and edge networks are now entirely cloud-based, and the 5G RAN is quickly moving to the cloud. In addition, the industry is exploring open interfaces and new architectures for the 5G RAN (which Frost & Sullivan refers to as open and virtual RAN), enabling new suppliers to compete in the market. The 5G transport networks tie together the RAN, the edge, and the core and also is cloud-based.

The global 5G network infrastructure market is large and measured in the many tens of billions of dollars in 2021. The majority of that spend is on the RAN, with smaller spend on the transport and core networks.

In a field of more than 100 global industry participants, Frost & Sullivan independently plotted the top 21 companies in this Frost Radar™ analysis. These companies either lead the market overall, lead a market segment, or are thought leaders in certain segments.

The Frost Radar™ reveals the market positioning of companies in an industry using their Growth and Innovation scores as highlighted in the Frost Radar™ methodology. The document presents competitive profiles on each of the companies in the Frost Radar™ based on their strengths, opportunities, and a small discussion on their positioning. Frost & Sullivan analyzes hundreds of companies in an industry and benchmarks them across 10 criteria on the
Frost Radar™, where the leading companies in the industry are then positioned.

Author: Troy Morley