Infonetics: Small Cell Market on Track to Increase 65% This Year

While relatively modest in 2013 (small cell revenue was just $771 million last year, a sharp contrast to the $24 billion 2G/3G RAN market), operators need to enhance existing saturated macrocellular networks that are struggling to maintain a decent mobile broadband experience, as well as add capacity to existing LTE networks. This will fuel the small cell market going forward, reports Infonetics Research. (Graphic: Infonetics Research)

CAMPBELL, Calif.--()--Telecom market research firm Infonetics Research released excerpts from its latest Small Cell Equipment market size and forecast report, which tracks 3G microcells, picocells, and metrocells and LTE mini eNodeBs and metrocells.

ANALYST NOTES

“As we anticipated, the great small cell ramp did not happen in 2013 as many in the industry had hoped. Testing activity remained solid, but actual deployments were modest. Small cell revenue was just $771 million last year, a sharp contrast to the $24 billion 2G/3G RAN market,” reports Stéphane Téral, principal analyst for mobile infrastructure and carrier economics at Infonetics Research.

Richard Webb, directing analyst for mobile backhaul and small cells at Infonetics and co-author of the report, adds: “Nevertheless, the need to enhance existing saturated macrocellular networks that are struggling to maintain a decent mobile broadband experience, as well as to add capacity to existing LTE networks, is bringing some fuel to our forecast and, consequently, we expect the small cell market to grow 65% by year’s end, when it will reach $1.3 billion.”

SMALL CELL MARKET HIGHLIGHTS

  • As mobile operators have to approach a “critical mass” of data traffic before small cells even become a consideration, it is the developed countries (Japan, South Korea, the UK and US) that are driving early adoption
  • 642,000 small cell units shipped in 2013, a 143% spike from 2012; over half of these units are of the 3G variety
  • However, starting this year, 4G metrocells will close the gap with 3G, becoming the main growth engine
  • Backhaul is no longer a major inhibitor to small cell deployment, but it will remain an issue for some mobile operators due to the locations in which they operate
  • 5G is coming, fully loaded with small cells: NTT DOCOMO in Japan plans to have 5G commercially available in 2020, in time for the Tokyo Olympics

ABOUT INFONETICS’ SMALL CELL REPORT

Infonetics’ biannual small cell report provides worldwide and regional market size, forecasts through 2018, analysis, and trends for 3G microcells, picocells, and metrocells and LTE mini eNodeB and metrocells. The report also includes a small cell strategies tracker. Vendors tracked: Airspan, Airvana, Alcatel-Lucent, Argela, Contela, Ericsson, Huawei, ip.access, Juni, NEC, NSN, Samsung, SK Telesys, SpiderCloud, Ubiquisys, ZTE, and others. To buy the report, contact Infonetics: http://www.infonetics.com/contact.asp.

RELATED REPORT EXCERPTS

RECENT AND UPCOMING MARKET FORECASTS AND SURVEYS

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TO BUY REPORTS, CONTACT:

N. America (West), Asia Pacific: Larry Howard, larry@infonetics.com, +1-408-583-3335

N. America (East, Midwest), L. America: Scott Coyne, scott@infonetics.com, +1-408-583-3395

EMEA, India, Singapore: George Stojsavljevic, george@infonetics.com, +44-755-488-1623

Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan: http://www.infonetics.com/contact.asp

ABOUT INFONETICS

Infonetics Research (www.infonetics.com) is an international market research and consulting firm serving the communications industry since 1990. A leader in defining and tracking emerging and established technologies in all world regions, Infonetics helps clients plan, strategize, and compete effectively. View Infonetics’ About Us slides at http://bit.ly/QUrbrV.

Contacts

Infonetics Research
Stéphane Téral, +1-408-583-3371
Principal Analyst
Mobile Infrastructure & Carrier Economics
stephane@infonetics.com
Twitter: @infonetics
or
Richard Webb, +1-408-583-3351 or +44-1689-851-618
Directing Analyst
Mobile Backhaul & Small Cells
richard@infonetics.com
Twitter: @richardawebb

Release Summary

Market stats, forecasts, and analyst commentary on the small cell market, by Infonetics Research analysts Stephane Teral and Richard Webb.

Contacts

Infonetics Research
Stéphane Téral, +1-408-583-3371
Principal Analyst
Mobile Infrastructure & Carrier Economics
stephane@infonetics.com
Twitter: @infonetics
or
Richard Webb, +1-408-583-3351 or +44-1689-851-618
Directing Analyst
Mobile Backhaul & Small Cells
richard@infonetics.com
Twitter: @richardawebb