5G Mobile Backhaul Equipment Market Size, Share, Opportunities, And Trends By Technology (Microwave, V-Band, E-Band, Fiber-Optic, Others), By Band (Sub-6 GHz, MmWave), By Deployment (Indoor, Outdoor), And By Geography - Forecasts From 2023 To 2028

The global 5G mobile backhaul equipment market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 19.07% from US$1.953 billion in 2022 to US$5.566 billion in 2028.

GROWTH DRIVERS

• 5G is driving the RAN architecture.

The extensive deployment of radio infrastructure for 5G is instigating a transformation in Radio Access Network (RAN) architectures. This architectural shift in 5G RAN involves a significant disaggregation of the traditional base station, dividing its roles into three distinct functions: the central unit (CU), the distributed unit (DU), and the radio unit (RU). Mobile backhaul serves as the connection linking RAN, or cell sites, to the core network of operators, often involving multiple tiers of aggregation and transport infrastructure. The transition to 5G opens up opportunities for service providers to explore new and innovative revenue streams.

For instance:

• In January 2023, NEC Corporation unveiled a groundbreaking power amplifier designed to play a pivotal role in mobile access and wireless communication equipment for both fronthaul and backhaul, enabling high-speed and high-capacity communication for advanced 5G and forthcoming 6G networks. NEC's objective is to accelerate equipment development and widespread adoption of this technology.
• In February 2021, DISH made a strategic choice by selecting Aviat as its partner for building a high-capacity 5G microwave wireless transport network. DISH is set to utilize Aviat's cutting-edge hardware and software solutions for this deployment. As 5G networks transition to O-RAN architecture, operators gain the flexibility to select the most exceptional backhaul vendor. Aviat, a leading specialist in the field, is well-positioned to harness the promising 5G opportunities arising from this evolution to O-RAN.

Massive demand for high-bandwidth  

As 5G networks depend on high-frequency millimeter waves, the backhaul connections must meet the rising bandwidth demands. Mobile network operators are responding by adopting advanced backhaul solutions tailored for 5G networks. With higher-bandwidth content being consumed extensively and for extended durations, there's a surge in bandwidth consumption. The evolving network infrastructure must effectively address these escalating bandwidth requirements while maintaining cost efficiency, achieving massive scalability, and accommodating the low-latency prerequisites of new applications and services. This calls for a highly automated, programmable, and efficient approach.

In April 2022, Nokia achieved a live microwave connection using the D-Band spectrum (130-175 GHz). D-Band provides substantially greater bandwidth compared to other microwave bands and will play a pivotal role as an ultra-high-capacity expansion for 5G backhaul and fronthaul, especially in densely populated urban areas.

In October 2021, Samsung Electronics and Ciena joined forces to provide 5G network solutions to the market. This partnership allows Samsung to combine Ciena's xHaul solutions with its own 5G solutions, enhancing support for the next wave of high-bandwidth applications and services. This is crucial as 5G networks expand to meet the growing demand for data traffic at the edge, especially within a more distributed 5G architecture.

Increasing Penetration of 5G Subscriptions

In the networking and data center industries, there is a growing demand for Microwave Transmission equipment, driven by upcoming 5G deployments. This demand is primarily due to the emerging 5G markets that rely more on wireless backhaul for their infrastructure. The market for Microwave Transmission equipment for mobile backhaul is already experiencing positive growth, and the expected increase in 5G installations will further fuel this expansion. The growth of the 5G backhaul equipment market is primarily attributed to substantial investments by 5G companies worldwide, aiming to prepare their infrastructure for 5G. The rising global internet connectivity has led to increased mobile data traffic, creating opportunities for vendors in the mobile and wireless backhaul equipment market to enhance their offerings and meet the growing demand for high-capacity, high-quality network services.

According to the Ericsson Mobility Report 2023, the data reveals the distribution of 5G subscriptions across different regions. North East Asia leads with a substantial 637 million subscriptions, followed by China with 560 million, indicating the strong adoption of 5G in these areas. North America has 166 million subscriptions, while Western Europe, and the Middle East, and North Africa regions have 69 million and 22 million subscriptions, respectively. This data underscores the varying degrees of 5G adoption in different parts of the world and a continued demand for mobile technology across diverse regions.

EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE 5G MOBILE BACKHAUL EQUIPMENT MARKET

E-Band  

5G's expansion has led to the widespread adoption of E-band technology for mobile backhaul across the globe. This frequency range, known as E-band, features high density and short wavelengths, making it ideal for microwave backhaul links covering approximately 3 kilometres. E-band leverages its short wavelength to provide directional properties and, coupled with its abundant spectrum, delivers substantial backhaul capacities in 5G networks by enabling wide channels. According to the Ericsson Microwave Outlook Report in October 2023, it is projected that by 2030, with the onset of 6G deployment, approximately 50 percent of macro sites will be connected and backhauled using microwave solutions.

In February 2023, Nokia introduced its new Wavence microwave solutions, including the innovative Nokia SteadEband. These solutions aim to expand the coverage of 5G networks in urban and rural areas. The Nokia SteadEband features a stabilized antenna that addresses common challenges associated with E-Band antennas, such as alignment issues. This advancement enables the establishment of multi-gigabit 5G connections over extended distances, enhancing connectivity using the UBT-m XP technology.

GEOGRAPHICAL PRESENCE

In March 2023, Huawei and Cellnex achieved a successful deployment of microwave Long-Reach E-band (LR E-band) backhaul technology at commercial sites in Poland, marking the first large-scale commercial implementation of this technology in Europe. This LR E-band link demonstrated an impressive range of 10 kilometres with 30% less service disruption, providing network operators with the ability to establish networks with a significantly reduced total cost of ownership. Cellnex Poland is now planning to expand its 5G-ready transport network coverage across the entire country, with LR E-band technology's simplified architecture, excellent performance, and swift deployment playing a vital role in realizing this ambitious vision

In January 2023, du and SES jointly conducted a pioneering demonstration of the first satellite-enabled 5G mobile backhaul network in the Middle East, leveraging SES's Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites. The primary objective of this live demonstration was to showcase the potential of SES's existing O3b constellation in expanding 5G coverage to remote areas. Additionally, the demonstration aimed to provide Du's enterprise clients, including offshore energy facilities, with exceptionally dependable, high-capacity, and low-latency network connectivity.

In March 2022, Blu Wireless, a leader in mmWave technology, unveiled the inaugural outdoor mmWave 5G test site in France, demonstrating the transformative impact of 5G on mobility, backhaul, and security applications across various industries. The Blu Wireless 5G mmWave product stands out as the first in Europe to obtain certification for operation within the 57-71 GHz range under CEPT 70 03 license-exempt regulations. This certification empowers users with license-free access to a substantial 14 GHz of spectrum, enabling gigabit-grade performance in diverse infrastructure and mobility use cases.

MAJOR PLAYERS IN THE MARKET

Several key players in the market, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, Fujistu, ZTE Corporation, Blu Wireless. and others, offer a wide range of product offerings, which encompass:

5G Mobile Backhaul Equipment Market Scope:

SEGMENTATION:

The global 5G mobile backhaul equipment market has been analyzed through the following segments:

• By Technology
  • Microwave
  • V-Band
  • E-Band
  • Fiber-Optic
  • Others
• By Band
  • Sub-6 GHz
  • mmWave
• By Deployment
  • Indoor
  • Outdoor
• By Geography
  • Americas
    • United States
    • Others
  • EMEA
    • Germany
    • UK
    • Others
  • APAC
    • China
    • Japan
    • South Korea
    • Others