5G Network Slicing Market - Strategic Insights and Forecasts (2026-2031)

The 5G Network Slicing Market is anticipated to expand at a high CAGR over the forecast period.

5G Network Slicing Market Growth Drivers:

• Increasing industrial applicability has augmented the overall market expansion.

Various industrial sectors such as utilities, media & entertainment, manufacturing, government, and healthcare are heavily influenced by the emergence of 5G technology. It enables them to establish a reliable, fast, and flexible communication chain between customers and inter-departments. Hence, network slicing has formed an integral part of 5G technology as it addresses the tailored connectivity and data processing requirements of users.

Key players are investing in new launches and product innovations. For instance, in February 2024, Nokia showcased its “Multi-edge Slicing”. This offers premium slicing services across the 5G and 4G spectrum, thereby supporting several applications simultaneously. The breakthrough supports various devices such as smartphones, laptops, IoT devices, and gaming consoles.

Consequently, various developments across various industries can be witnessed. For instance,

• In the Electric Power Sector:

5G technology has enabled smart grids to fully utilize modern information communication technologies, thereby improving their intelligence and informatization. The 5G services are beneficial in various differential protection, such as showcasing power transmission lines in 4K ultra-HD video, intelligently enhancing situation awareness for the power distribution network, distributed feeder automation, and load management at the millisecond level. Grid corporations of major nations such as China, are collaborating with tech giants such as Huawei to implement 5G network slicing in their power grids.

• In the Multimedia Field

Multimedia is one of the major areas with high growth potential for 5G network slicing. It assists in running multiple applications such as 4K ultra-HD multimedia live transmissions, video conferencing & calling. Hence, to bolster this experience, various phase testing and developments are taking place among major players. For instance, in February 2024, in the UK, Ericsson, in collaboration with BT Group and Qualcomm Technologies, demonstrated its end-to-end 5G Connectivity-enabled network slicing on Ericsson’s “5G Core”. The test was conducted on Snapdragon 8-powered devices and established network slicing for video conferencing and mobile gaming.

5G Network Slicing Market Emerging Opportunities:

• Healthcare

5G network slicing is promoting advancements in healthcare services, and with digitization and the Internet of Things (IoT) on the rise, the demand for high-speed network connectivity has accelerated. Advanced services such as telemedicine and real-time and critical care tracking deal with sensitive data crucial in smart healthcare (s-health). Adapting network resources to specific needs and autonomous assessment of network traffic are two major advantages of network slicing for smart health.

Hence, market players such as Ericsson are investing their efforts in optimizing this industrial opportunity with new launches, development, and forming strategic collaborations with healthcare facilities. For instance,

• NVF

The 5G network slicing market is segmented by technology into SDN-based and NFV. NFV deployment is expected to attain a major share during the forecasted period, owing to growing investments and partnerships by the market players.

5G Network Slicing Market Geographical Outlook:

The global 5G network slicing market consists of major countries undertaking various measures to secure their 5G network. Some major countries include the USA, Japan, South Korea, China, and Germany. The countries have undertaken various measures, complementing the overall market growth. For instance,

• In January 2023, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd and KDDI demonstrated their SLA (Service Level Agreement) assurance network slicing in Japan. The companies developed multiple network slices on live commercial 5G standalone through Samsung's RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC). The trial aimed to meet multiple SLA requirements on performance parameters such as high throughput and low latency.

• In February 2022, Deutsche Telekom, in collaboration with Ericsson, demonstrated the “5G End-to-End Network Slicing” to facilitate international connectivity for enterprises working on latency-critical applications in various international subsidiaries. The trial included end-to-end and SD-WAN orchestration and would benefit global enterprises by bolstering innovative network adoption across various industry verticals.

List of Top 5G Network Slicing Companies:

Some of the leading players in the market include Samsung, Ericsson, Cisco, and Nokia, among others. These companies have undertaken various business strategies such as product launches, investments, and partnerships to expand their product offerings.

Key Developments:

• May 2026: Bharti Airtel launched Priority Postpaid, India's first consumer-facing 5G network slicing service, providing premium users with prioritized network resources and enhanced connectivity during periods of network congestion.

• December 2025: SoftBank Corp. successfully launched the world’s first commercial services utilizing SRv6 MUP on a 5G network, simplifying deployment of advanced 5G capabilities including network slicing and multi-access edge computing services.

• December 2025: Nokia and du announced the industry’s first autonomous 5G Advanced network slicing implementation, delivering self-optimizing premium connectivity for enterprises, live events, gaming, XR, AI, and industrial applications.

• June 2025: Orange selected Ericsson to automate 5G Standalone network slicing across its European operations, enabling faster deployment of advanced enterprise services, private networks, geofencing, and fixed wireless access solutions.

• April 2025: Siemens and O? Telefónica Germany launched Germany’s first fully integrated connectivity solution based on 5G network slicing, targeting water and wastewater utilities requiring secure, customized mobile network performance.

5G Network Slicing Market Scope: 

5G Network Slicing Market Segmentation:

• By Industry Vertical

  • Healthcare

  • Government

  • Transportation

  • Energy & Utilities

  • Manufacturing

  • Others

• By Application

  • eMBB

  • MMTCs

  • URLLCs

  • Others

• By Technology

  • SDN-Based

  • NFV

• By Geography

  • Americas

    • United States

    • Others

  • Europe, Middle East, and Africa

    • Germany

    • UK

    • Others

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • Japan

    • South Korea

    • Others