As the 5G era advances, the cellular communications industry is undergoing a revolutionary paradigm shift, driven by technological innovations, liberal regulatory policies and disruptive business models. One important aspect of this radical transformation is the growing adoption of shared and unlicensed spectrum – frequencies that are not exclusively licensed to a single mobile operator.

Telecommunications regulatory authorities across the globe have either launched or are in the process of releasing innovative frameworks to facilitate the coordinated sharing of licensed spectrum. Examples include but are not limited to the three-tiered CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service) spectrum sharing scheme in the United States, Germany’s 3.7-3.8 GHz and 28 GHz licenses for 5G campus networks, United Kingdom’s shared and local access licensing model, France’s vertical spectrum and sub-letting arrangements, Netherlands’ geographically restricted mid-band spectrum assignments, Switzerland’s 3.4 – 3.5 GHz band for NPNs (Non-Public Networks), Finland’s 2.3 GHz and 26 GHz licenses for local 4G/5G networks, Sweden’s 3.7 GHz and 26 GHz permits, Norway’s regulation of local networks in the 3.8-4.2 GHz band, Poland’s spectrum assignment for local government units and enterprises, Bahrain’s private 5G network licenses, Japan’s 4.6-4.9 GHz and 28 GHz local 5G network licenses, South Korea’s e-Um 5G allocations in the 4.7 GHz and 28 GHz bands, Taiwan’s provision of 4.8-4.9 GHz spectrum for private 5G networks, Hong Kong’s LWBS (Localized Wireless Broadband System) licenses, Australia’s apparatus licensing approach, Canada’s planned NCL (Non-Competitive Local) licensing framework and Brazil’s SLP (Private Limited Service) licenses.

Another important development is the growing accessibility of independent cellular networks that operate solely in unlicensed spectrum by leveraging nationally designated license-exempt frequencies such as the GAA (General Authorized Access) tier of the 3.5 GHz CBRS band in the United States and Japan’s 1.9 GHz sXGP (Shared Extended Global Platform) band. In addition, vast swaths of globally and regionally harmonized license-exempt spectrum – most notably, the 600 MHz TVWS (TV White Space), 5 GHz, 6 GHz and 60 GHz bands – are also available worldwide, which can be used for the operation of unlicensed LTE and 5G NR-U (NR in Unlicensed Spectrum) equipment subject to domestic regulations.

Collectively, ground-breaking spectrum liberalization initiatives are catalyzing the rollout of shared and unlicensed spectrum-enabled 5G NR and LTE networks for a diverse array of use cases – ranging from mobile network densification, FWA (Fixed Wireless Access) in rural communities and MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) offload to neutral host infrastructure and private cellular networks for enterprises and vertical industries such as agriculture, education, healthcare, manufacturing, military, mining, oil and gas, public sector, retail and hospitality, sports, transportation and utilities.

This report estimates that global investments in 5G NR and LTE-based RAN (Radio Access Network) infrastructure operating in shared and unlicensed spectrum will account for more than $1.4 Billion by the end of 2023. The market is expected to continue its upward trajectory beyond 2023, growing at a CAGR of approximately 27% between 2023 and 2026 to reach nearly $3 Billion in annual spending by 2026.

The “Shared & Unlicensed Spectrum LTE/5G Network Ecosystem: 2023 – 2030 – Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies & Forecasts” report presents a detailed assessment of the shared and unlicensed spectrum LTE/5G network ecosystem, including the value chain, market drivers, barriers to uptake, enabling technologies, key trends, future roadmap, business models, use cases, application scenarios, standardization, spectrum availability and allocation, regulatory landscape, case studies, ecosystem player profiles and strategies. The report also provides global and regional forecasts for shared and unlicensed spectrum LTE/5G RAN infrastructure from 2023 to 2030. The forecasts cover two air interface technologies, two cell type categories, two spectrum licensing models, 15 frequency bands, seven use cases and five regional markets.

The report comes with an associated Excel datasheet suite covering quantitative data from all numeric forecasts presented in the report.

Topics Covered
The report covers the following topics:
– Introduction to shared and unlicensed spectrum LTE/5G networks
– Value chain and ecosystem structure
– Market drivers and challenges
– Enabling technologies and concepts, including CBRS, LSA/eLSA, local area licensing, AFC, 5G NR-U, LTE-U, LAA/eLAA/FeLAA, sXGP and MulteFire
– Key trends such as the growing prevalence of private cellular networks in industrial and enterprise settings, neutral host small cells, fixed wireless broadband rollouts, MVNO offload and mobile network densification
– Business models, use cases and application scenarios
– Future roadmap of shared and unlicensed spectrum LTE/5G networks
– Spectrum availability, allocation and usage across the global, regional and national domains
– Standardization, regulatory and collaborative initiatives
– 100 case studies of 5G NR and LTE deployments in shared and unlicensed spectrum
– Profiles and strategies of more than 400 ecosystem players
– Strategic recommendations for 5G NR and LTE equipment suppliers, system integrators, service providers, enterprises and vertical industries
– Market analysis and forecasts from 2023 to 2030

Forecast Segmentation
Market forecasts for 5G NR and LTE-based RAN equipment operating in shared and unlicensed spectrum are provided for each of the following submarkets and their subcategories:

Air Interface Technologies
– LTE
– 5G NR

Cell Types
– Indoor Small Cells
– Outdoor Small Cells

Spectrum Licensing Models
– Coordinated (Licensed) Shared Spectrum
– Unlicensed (License-Exempt) Spectrum

Frequency Bands
Coordinated (Licensed) Shared Spectrum
– 1.8 GHz
– 2.3-2.6 GHz
– 3.4 GHz
– 3.5 GHz CBRS PAL
– 3.7-3.8 GHz
– 3.8-4.2 GHz
– 4.6-4.9 GHz
– 26/28 GHz
– Other Frequencies

Unlicensed (License-Exempt) Spectrum
– 600 MHz TVWS
– 1.9 GHz sXGP
– 2.4 GHz
– 3.5 GHz CBRS GAA
– 5 GHz
– 6 GHz
– 60 GHz
– Other Frequencies

Use Cases
– Mobile Network Densification
– FWA (Fixed Wireless Access)
– Cable Operators & New Entrants
– Neutral Hosts
– Private Cellular Networks
○ Offices, Buildings & Corporate Campuses
○ Vertical Industries

Regional Markets
– North America
– Asia Pacific
– Europe
– Middle East & Africa
– Latin & Central America

Key Questions Answered
The report provides answers to the following key questions:
– How big is the opportunity for 5G NR and LTE networks operating in shared and unlicensed spectrum?
– What trends, drivers and challenges are influencing its growth?
– What will the market size be in 2026, and at what rate will it grow?
– Which submarkets and regions will see the highest percentage of growth?
– What are the existing and candidate shared/unlicensed spectrum bands for the operation of 5G NR and LTE, and what is the status of their adoption worldwide?
– What are the business models, use cases and application scenarios for shared and unlicensed spectrum?
– How are CBRS and other coordinated shared spectrum frameworks accelerating the uptake of private cellular networks for enterprises and vertical industries?
– How does the integration of shared and unlicensed spectrum relieve capacity constraints faced by traditional mobile operators?
– What opportunities exist for cable operators, neutral hosts, niche service providers and other new entrants?
– How is the commercial availability of 5G NR-based shared and unlicensed spectrum network equipment setting the stage for Industry 4.0 and advanced applications?
– Who are the key ecosystem players, and what are their strategies?
– What strategies should 5G NR and LTE equipment suppliers, system integrators, service providers and other stakeholders adopt to remain competitive?

Key Findings
The report has the following key findings:
– the report estimates that global investments in LTE and 5G NR-based RAN infrastructure operating in shared and unlicensed spectrum will account for more than $1.4 Billion by the end of 2023. The market is expected to continue its upward trajectory beyond 2023, growing at a CAGR of approximately 27% between 2023 and 2026 to reach nearly $3 Billion in annual spending by 2026.
– Breaking away from traditional practices of spectrum assignment for mobile services that predominantly focused on exclusive-use national licenses, telecommunications regulatory authorities across the globe have either launched or are in the process of releasing innovative frameworks to facilitate the coordinated sharing of licensed spectrum. Examples include but are not limited to:
○ The three-tiered CBRS spectrum sharing scheme in the United States
○ Germany’s 3.7-3.8 GHz and 28 GHz licenses for 5G campus networks
○ United Kingdom’s shared and local access licensing model
○ France’s vertical spectrum and sub-letting arrangements
○ Netherlands’ geographically restricted mid-band spectrum assignments
○ Switzerland’s 3.4 – 3.5 GHz band for NPNs (Non-Public Networks)
○ Finland’s 2.3 GHz and 26 GHz licenses for local 4G/5G networks
○ Sweden’s 3.7 GHz and 26 GHz permits, Norway’s regulation of local networks in the 3.8-4.2 GHz band
○ Poland’s spectrum assignment for local government units and enterprises
○ Bahrain’s private 5G network licenses
○ Japan’s 4.6-4.9 GHz and 28 GHz local 5G network licenses
○ South Korea’s e-Um 5G allocations in the 4.7 GHz and 28 GHz bands
○ Taiwan’s provision of 4.8-4.9 GHz spectrum for private 5G networks
○ Hong Kong’s LWBS (Localized Wireless Broadband System) licenses
○ Australia’s apparatus licensing approach
○ Canada’s planned NCL (Non-Competitive Local) licensing framework
○ Brazil’s SLP (Private Limited Service) licenses
– Another important development is the growing accessibility of independent cellular networks that operate solely in unlicensed spectrum by leveraging nationally designated license-exempt frequencies such as the GAA tier of the 3.5 GHz CBRS band in the United States and Japan’s 1.9 GHz sXGP band. In addition, vast swaths of globally and regionally harmonized license-exempt spectrum – most notably, the 600 MHz TVWS, 5 GHz, 6 GHz and 60 GHz bands – are also available worldwide, which can be used for the operation of unlicensed LTE and 5G NR-U (NR in Unlicensed Spectrum) equipment subject to domestic regulations.
– Collectively, ground-breaking spectrum liberalization initiatives are catalyzing the rollout of shared and unlicensed spectrum-enabled LTE and 5G NR networks for a diverse array of use cases – ranging from mobile network densification, FWA in rural communities and MVNO offload to neutral host infrastructure and private cellular networks for enterprises and vertical industries such as agriculture, education, healthcare, manufacturing, military, mining, oil and gas, public sector, retail and hospitality, sports, transportation and utilities.
– In particular, private LTE and 5G networks operating in shared spectrum are becoming an increasingly common theme. Hundreds of local and priority access licenses – predominantly in mid-band spectrum – have been issued in the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Finland, Sweden, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and other pioneering markets to facilitate the operation of purpose-built wireless networks based on 3GPP standards.
– Airbus, ArcelorMittal, Bayer, BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation), BMW, Bosch, Dow, EDF, Ferrovial, Groupe ADP, Holmen Iggesund, Hoban Construction, Hsinchu City Fire Department, Inventec, John Deere, KEPCO (Korea Electric Power Corporation), Lufthansa, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, NAVER, NFL (National Football League), Osaka Gas, Ricoh, SDG&E (San Diego Gas & Electric), Siemens, SVT (Sveriges Television), Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen, X Shore and the U.S. military are just a few of the many end user organizations investing in shared spectrum-enabled private cellular networks.
– In some national markets, neutral host solutions based on shared spectrum small cells are being employed as a cost-effective means of coverage enhancement inside office spaces, public venues and other indoor environments. One prominent example is social media and technology giant Meta’s in-building wireless network that uses small cells operating in the GAA tier of CBRS spectrum and MOCN (Multi-Operator Core Network) technology to provide multi-operator cellular coverage at its properties in the United States.
– Although the uptake of 5G NR equipment operating in high-band mmWave (Millimeter Wave) frequencies has been slower than initially anticipated, practical cases of 5G networks based on locally licensed 26/28 GHz spectrum are steadily piling up in multiple national markets – examples range from private 5G installations at HKIA (Hong Kong International Airport), SMC (Samsung Medical Center) and various manufacturing facilities to Japanese cable TV operator-led deployments of 28 GHz local 5G networks.
– The very first deployments of 5G NR-U technology are also beginning to emerge. For example, the SGCC (State Grid Corporation of China) has deployed a private NR-U network – operating in license-exempt Band n46 (5.8 GHz) spectrum – to support video surveillance, mobile inspection robots and other 5G-connected applications at its Lanzhou East and Mogao substations in China’s Gansu province. In the coming years, with the technology’s commercial maturity, we also anticipate seeing NR-U deployments in Band n96 (6 GHz) and Band n263 (60 GHz) for both licensed assisted and standalone modes of operation.

The post The Shared & Unlicensed Spectrum LTE/5G Network Ecosystem: 2023 – 2030 – Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies & Forecasts first appeared on CRI Report.

To cope with growing capacity and coverage requirements, mobile operators are significantly increasing their investments in a variety of Heterogeneous Network or HetNet infrastructure technologies such as strategically deployed small cells, carrier Wi-Fi and DAS (Distributed Antenna System) networks. Adding further to the heterogeneity is the shift towards C-RAN (Centralized RAN) architecture, where centralized baseband functionality is shared across a large number of distributed radio nodes to deliver benefits such as resource pooling, multi-cell coordination, network extensibility and energy efficiency.

SNS Research estimates that global investments on small cells, carrier Wi-Fi, C-RAN and DAS will reach more than $15 Billion by the end of 2017, as mobile operators remain committed to tackle the continued growth of mobile data traffic and evolving coverage requirements. At present, the HetNet market is facing a paradigm shift with multiple advancements ranging from small cell virtualization and neutral hosting to the adoption of unlicensed and shared spectrum. In conjunction with 5G and LTE Advanced network rollouts, these advancements will fuel the market to grow at a CAGR of over 18% between 2017 and 2020.

The “HetNet Ecosystem (Small Cells, Carrier Wi-Fi, C-RAN & DAS): 2017 – 2030 – Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies & Forecasts” report presents an in-depth assessment of the HetNet ecosystem including enabling technologies, key trends, market drivers, challenges, standardization, regulatory landscape, deployment models, use cases, vertical markets, service provider case studies, opportunities, future roadmap, value chain, ecosystem player profiles and strategies. The report also presents forecasts for HetNet infrastructure investments from 2017 till 2030. The forecasts cover 6 individual submarkets and 6 regions.

The report comes with an associated Excel datasheet suite covering quantitative data from all numeric forecasts presented in the report.

Topics Covered
The report covers the following topics:
– HetNet ecosystem
– Market drivers and barriers
– Enabling technologies and key architectural components for small cells, carrier Wi-Fi, C-RAN and DAS
– Integration, offloading and SON (Self-Organizing Network) technologies
– Key trends including RAN disaggregation; small cell virtualization; unlicensed and shared spectrum usage; and neutral hosting
– Complementary technologies and concepts including millimeter wave radio access; MEC (Mobile Edge Computing); FWA (Fixed Wireless Access); control and user plane separation; and network slicing
– Small cell backhaul and C-RAN fronthaul technologies
– HetNet use cases and deployment models including SCaaS (Small Cells-as-a-Service)
– Enterprise RAN; rural small cells; and tactical small cells for military and public safety applications
– Over 30 case studies of service provider HetNet deployments
– Regulatory landscape and standardization
– Industry roadmap and value chain
– Profiles and strategies of over 500 leading ecosystem players
– Strategic recommendations for HetNet infrastructure vendors and mobile operators
– Market analysis and forecasts from 2017 till 2030

Forecast Segmentation
Market forecasts are provided for each of the following submarkets and their subcategories:
Small Cells
Air Interface Technology Segmentation
– 2G & 3G
– LTE
– 5G NR (New Radio)

Deployment Model Segmentation
– Indoor
– Outdoor

RAN Architecture Segmentation
– Standalone
– C-RAN

Use Case Segmentation
– Residential
– Enterprise
– Urban
– Rural & Suburban

Cell Size Segmentation
– Femtocells
– Picocells
– Microcells

Small Cell Backhaul
Technology Segmentation
– DSL
– Ethernet
– Microwave
– Millimeter Wave
– Satellite
– Fiber & Others

Carrier Wi-Fi
Submarket Segmentation
– Access Points
– Access Point Controllers

Integration Approach Segmentation
– Standalone Wi-Fi Hotspots
– Managed Wi-Fi Offload

C-RAN
Air Interface Technology Segmentation
– 3G & LTE
– 5G NR

Deployment Model Segmentation
– Indoor
– Outdoor

Cell Size Segmentation
– Small Cells
– Macrocells

Submarket Segmentation
– BBUs (Baseband Units)
– RRHs (Remote Radio Heads)

C-RAN Fronthaul
Technology Segmentation
– Dedicated Fiber
– WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplexing)
– OTN (Optical Transport Network)
– PON (Passive Optical Network)
– Ethernet
– Microwave
– Millimeter Wave
– G.Fast & Others

DAS
Deployment Model Segmentation
– Indoor
– Outdoor

Regional Markets
– Asia Pacific
– Eastern Europe
– Latin & Central America
– Middle East & Africa
– North America
– Western Europe

Key Questions Answered
The report provides answers to the following key questions:
– How big is the HetNet opportunity?
– What trends, challenges and barriers are influencing its growth?
– How is the ecosystem evolving by segment and region?
– What will the market size be in 2020 and at what rate will it grow?
– Which submarkets will see the highest percentage of growth?
– How can HetNet infrastructure investments improve wireless coverage and alleviate congestion in mobile operator networks?
– Can virtualized small cells reduce the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) of HetNet deployments?
– How are mobile operators leveraging small cells to deliver cost-effective wireless coverage in rural areas?
– What is the commercial status of unlicensed and shared spectrum technologies?
– How are small cell, DAS and Wi-Fi specialists addressing requirements for multi-operator neutral host networks?
– What are the prospects of microwave and millimeter wave transport networking platforms for small cell backhaul and C-RAN fronthaul?
– Will mobile operators adopt WiGig and other non-3GPP technologies to complement 5G network rollouts?
– Who are the key market players, what is their market share and what are their strategies?
– What strategies should HetNet infrastructure vendors and mobile operators adopt to remain competitive?

Key Findings
The report has the following key findings:
– SNS Research estimates that global investments on small cells, carrier Wi-Fi, C-RAN and DAS will reach more than $15 Billion by the end of 2017, as mobile operators remain committed to tackle the continued growth of mobile data traffic and evolving coverage requirements.
– At present, the HetNet market is facing a paradigm shift with multiple advancements ranging from small cell virtualization and neutral hosting to the adoption of unlicensed and shared spectrum.
– In conjunction with 5G and LTE Advanced network rollouts, these advancements will fuel the market to grow at a CAGR of over 18% between 2017 and 2020.
– By virtualizing small cells, mobile operators can immediately evaluate the benefits of RAN virtualization with no major impact on their larger macrocell RAN footprint. SNS research estimates that global spending on virtualized small cells will surpass $1 Billion annually by 2020.
– Unlicensed and shared spectrum small cells are also beginning to gain traction, with shipment revenues potentially reaching $240 Million by the end of 2020.
– The vendor arena is continuing to consolidate with several prominent M&A deals such as CCI’s (Communication Components, Inc.) acquisition of BLiNQ Networks and Mavenir’s merger with Ranzure Networks.

The post The HetNet Ecosystem (Small Cells, Carrier Wi-Fi, C-RAN & DAS): 2017 – 2030 first appeared on CRI Report.