Japan 5G Small Cell Market Size, Share, Opportunities, And Trends By Deployment (Indoor, Outdoor), By Architecture (Integrated & Dual-Split, Single-Split), By Configuration (Standalone, Non-Standalone), And By Type (Femtocell & Picocell, Microcell) - Forecasts From 2024 To 2029

Japan 5G small cell market is anticipated to grow from US$133.040 million in 2022 to US$552.630 million in 2029 at a CAGR of 22.56%.

GROWTH DRIVERS

• Low Cost in Comparison to Macro-cell Base Station

The government of Japan has announced various policies and schemes to bolster 5G deployment, which has enhanced the 5G network density. Small cells are used to deliver high-performance capabilities and work toward boosting the network signal and extending coverage in indoor spaces such as residential units, enterprises, and other commercial establishments. Owing to their low radio frequency (RF) power output, footprint, range, and cost-effectiveness, the small cell can also be deployed in lower settings, such as rural or remote areas. These factors will aid in market expansion during the forecast period.

•  Indoor Deployments

As per Nokia, indoor mobile constitutes 80% of mobile broadband traffic. Indoor small cells are considered an essential deployment option, as providing adequate indoor coverage can also be difficult. This is because the higher frequencies employed by 5G will likely be exposed to signal propagation limits, which was not the case with earlier mobile networks.

The growing 5G subscription in Japan has opened new doors for the indoor deployment of the technology. For instance, the concept of a smart stadium and establishing a commercial private 5G network with dedicated base stations would utilize advanced technologies to create a customized user experience.

• Furthermore, in March 2024, SoftBank Corp launched its “Private 5G (Dedicated Type) services that would enable organizations and local governments to develop customized 5G networks on their premises. The service is optimal for smart factories, would provide low latency, and assist operators in high-density logistic & warehousing activities. 

EMERGING GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES IN THE JAPAN 5G SMALL CELL MARKET

• Femtocell

By type, small cells are divided into femtocells & picocells, and microcells. Amongst these, femtocell & picocell will hold a notable share in volume terms during the projected period, owing to increased demand for residential and enterprise base stations.

FEMTOCELL PRODUCT EXAMPLE IN JAPAN

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FEMTOCELL, PICOCELL, AND MICROCELL

Source: Essentra Components

Disaggregated

Based on RAN architecture, small cells are segmented into integrated & dual-split and single-split.

• Integrated & dual-split RAN architecture is expected to witness high CAGR throughout the forecast period. This is because various enterprise deployment scenarios can benefit from small-cell solutions built on this architecture.

 SOME PRODUCT SOLUTIONS BY RAN ARCHITECTURE

Outdoor Small Cells

The 5G deployment has shown positive growth in Japan, backed by the government efforts and strategic initiatives of major players. This has provided new growth opportunities for the establishment of the outdoor base station, thereby augmenting the overall segment growth.

• For instance, in February 2024, Ericsson Japan K.K., in collaboration with Softbank, successfully demonstrated high-speed automatic optimization of a 5G non-standalone network through external control.

MAJOR PLAYERS IN THE MARKET

To expand their market presence, leading market players, namely Qualcomm, Ericsson, Samsung, Nokia, and Airspan, have undertaken business strategies such as collaboration, mergers, product development & launches, and investment in facility establishment. For instance,

• In February 2023, Samsung was selected by the Japanese telecommunication service provider KDDI to use the former’s 5G standalone commercial network across Japan. The standalone solution supports 5G and 4G networks and is designed to offer overload work features that would assist in handling sudden spikes in network traffic.

PRODUCT OFFERINGS BY MAJOR PLAYERS IN JAPAN

Japan 5G Small Cell Market Scope:

Japan’s Small Cell market is segmented and analyzed as:

• By Deployment
  • Indoor
  • Outdoor
• By Architecture
  • Integrated & Dual Split
  • Single-Split
• By Configuration
  • Standalone
  • Non-Standalone
• By Type
  • Femtocell & Picocell
  • Microcell