5G Core Market Report: Trends, Forecast and Competitive Analysis to 2030

5G Core Trends and Forecast

The future of the global 5G core market looks promising with opportunities in the telecom operators and enterprise markets. The global 5G core market is expected to reach an estimated $46.9 billion by 2030 with a CAGR of 55.1% from 2024 to 2030. The major drivers for this market are growing global demand for the implementation of 5G technologies, increasing number of linked devices and data traffic explosion, and machine-to-machine communication networks are developing quickly.

Lucintel forecasts that services is expected to witness the higher growth over the forecast period because of managed services, encompassing installation, support, deployment, integration, and upkeep, as well as, global need for managed services is expected to rise as 5G non-standalone and standalone cores are adopted more frequently.

APAC is expected to witness highest growth over the forecast period due to growing need for high-speed internet access across a range of sectors, including manufacturing, healthcare, entertainment, and the automobile industry, as well as, enhancing collaborations and investments between the public and private sectors.

Emerging Trends in the 5G Core Market

Rising trends in the 5G Core market have shown evolutionary trajectories that network technologies have taken, along with growing demand for sophisticated services. This is basically shifting the paradigm of how networks are built, deployed, managed, and used, thereby raising the tempo for innovation and efficiency within the industry.

• Cloud-Native Network Architecture: Cloud-native architectures are at the heart of 5G core deployments, enabling far greater flexibility, scalability, and efficiency. Drawing on microservices, containers, and automation, operators are able to better manage their networks, which in turn speeds up the deployment of new services and gives them operational agility.
• Network Slicing: Network slicing will further enable multiple virtual networks to be created on one physical infrastructure and be tailored for particular applications or the specific needs of customers. Such a trend, therefore, reinforces such efficiency and flexibility of the network to carry various use cases, ranging from high-speed broadband up to low-latency IoT applications.
• Edge Computing Integration: Edge computing combined with 5G core networks finds wider acceptance; this reduces latency and further enhances real-time processing of data. It's a perfect enabler for applications needing instant response times, such as autonomous vehicles and augmented reality, by bringing compute closer to the end-user.
• Increased Automation and Orchestration: Automation and orchestration are becoming fundamental in managing complex 5G core networks. This automation of network operations and service management will better enable the operators to effectively enhance efficiency, reduce human errors, and hasten deployments of new services-improving overall network performance.
• Enhanced Security Features: With more importance being given to the core 5G network, the need for enhanced security at the core is probably part of the trend in advanced encryption, secure network slicing, and real-time threat detection against cyber-attacks for network integrity.

Cloud-native architecture, network slicing integration, integration of edge computing, higher automation, and enhanced security are some of the emerging trends that mark a transformation in the 5G core market. These are the aspects that will thrive more in producing the best possible efficiency, flexibility, and performance within 5G networks, covering a broad range of advanced applications and services.

Recent Developments in the 5G Core Market

The recent happenings in the 5G core market are raising the stakes for what telecommunications will look like into the future with unprecedented network capabilities and advanced support for applications. These key developments reflect the ongoing transformation and innovation within the industry.

• Cloud-Native Core Deployments: Core networks are accelerating to cloud-native, enabling flexible, scalable network management. Cloud-native architectures orchestrate containerization and microservices in such a way that simplifies the operation and manages the services dynamically with enhanced network agility, and speeds up the deployment times of new services.
• Implementation of Network Slicing: Network slicing technology will be widely adopted to enable operators to build, for each use case, an optimized virtual network. This will further improve resource allocation and network efficiency, thereby supporting diverse applications such as IoT, enhanced mobile broadband, and ultra-reliable low-latency communication.
• Integration of Edge Computing: The integration of edge computing with 5G core networks improves real-time processing of data and latency. It shifts computing resources closer to the end-user, which would help in improving the performance of latency-sensitive applications such as autonomous vehicles and smart cities.
• Advanced Automation Adoption: Automation and orchestration are being widely adopted to cope with such complex operations in 5G core networks. Besides, AI and machine learning will also be very crucial in development for the automation of most network management tasks, hence slashing operation costs and enhancing efficiency by reducing manual intervention.
• Mention Enhanced Security Protocols: This definitely places greater emphasis on enhanced security protocols within the 5G core networks, which are designed around advanced encryption methods, secure network slicing, and real-time threat monitoring to safeguard against cyber threats and ensure network integrity and reliability.

Recent developments in the 5G core market have seen cloud-native deployments, network slicing, integration with edge computing, next-generation automation, and advanced security, to further drive serious network capability and efficiency improvements. These will be crucial for supporting the breadth of applications and services enabled by the 5G technology.

Strategic Growth Opportunities for 5G Core Market

Multiple strategic growth opportunities are being introduced with the core market of 5G across various applications. Ensuring that these are appropriately positioned and maximized in use and capabilities, 5G technology development is an ongoing activity to enable beneficiary features of the next-generation network.

• Smart Cities: 5G core networks are capable of high-speed connectivity and real-time processing of data; hence, they also support smart city initiatives. The growth opportunity in applications such as traffic management, environmental monitoring, and smart infrastructure is likely to spur demand for robust 5G core solutions.
• Industrial Automation: The 5G core market is positioned to grow in the field of industrial automation, where high-speed and low-latency connectivity can barely be afforded. The applications vary from remote machine control and predictive maintenance to automated manufacturing processes; all such applications have potential advantages with an advanced 5G core.
• Healthcare: This is a big growth opportunity for the healthcare industry in applications such as telemedicine, remote surgery, and real-time health monitoring. The 5G core network supports these applications by providing the required bandwidth and low-latency connectivity that will improve patient care, further expanding access to medical services.
• Enhanced Mobile Broadband: The rising demand for enhanced mobile broadband services is one of the key factors contributing to the growth of the 5G core market. High-definition video streaming, virtual reality, and gaming applications continue to grow and require very high speeds; thus, they need advanced 5G core infrastructure to assure seamless user experiences.
• Autonomous Vehicles: The core network development provided by 5G for V2X communications is what autonomous vehicles rely on. This growth opportunity covers the real-time data exchange between vehicles, infrastructures, and pedestrians for improvement in transportation systems regarding safety and efficiency.

The strategic growth opportunities in 5G core will be for smart cities, industrial automation, healthcare, enhanced mobile broadband, and autonomous vehicles-all these innovative applications of 5G technology need advanced network solutions. The potential of 5G technology in various applications will remain a promise only if the use of these opportunities can be ensured.

5G Core Market Driver and Challenges

The major drivers of the 5G Core market depend on an interaction between technological, economic, and regulatory pressures. Each of these elements plays a role in determining the manner and pace of adoption and eventual development of 5G core networking. Technologically innovative steps help in improving the performance and services being provided, economic factors pertain to investment and cost management while regulatory frameworks will affect the way strategies of deployment and compliance requirements go forward.

The factors responsible for driving the 5G core market include:

1. Technological Advancements: Key factors contributing to the growth of the 5G core market include rapid and continuous developments in cloud-native technologies, including virtualization and containerization. Such advantages in technologies have enabled more flexible, scalable, and efficient network management. Enhanced network slicing empowers operators to build particular tailored virtual networks that serve dedicated use cases with higher efficiency, thus improving service delivery and operational efficiency. Advanced technology addresses various applications and high-speed connectivity, which in turn is fostering demand for sophisticated 5G core solutions.

2. Increased Demand for High-Speed Connectivity: This is one of the major forces that drives the 5G core market-high demand for high-speed Internet and seamless connectivity. With the increased adoption of augmented reality, virtual reality, and ultra-high-definition video streaming, among other data-intensive applications, comes the need for strong network infrastructure that can manage large volumes of data at minimal latency. 5G core networks will be designed to meet these demands through the needed bandwidth and performance improvements for new emerging technologies and user expectations.

3. Advanced use cases will also be supported: The 5G core network will play a critical role in the realization of smart cities, industrial automation, and autonomous vehicles. These applications require very low latency and high-bandwidth connectivity, and 5G core networks have been engineered to cater to them. The 5G core itself can be enabled with network slicing and edge computing to provide a set of diverse needs-from real-time data processing to high-speed communication-that enable rapid implementation of various innovative solutions and services across different industries.

Challenges in the 5G core market are:

1. High Deployment Costs: The deployment of the 5G core networks requires huge capital investment in infrastructure, technology, and integration. Costs related to upgrading of networks, spectrum, and technologies are high. In cases of many operators, especially those operating in emerging markets, such a financial burden might result in slowing down their speed and scale of 5G core network deployment.

2. Complex Integration with Legacy Systems: It is definitely not an easy task to merge 5G core networks with any existing legacy system. This solution requires the operator to ensure seamless interoperability between new and old technologies, which proves very complicated and resource-intensive. Previous systems may need considerable changes or even complete replacement in order to fully support 5G capabilities; therefore, increasing the overall complexity and cost of deployment.

3. Regulatory and Security Concerns: Some of the critical challenges in the 5G core market are regulatory challenges and security issues. Following various national regulations and standards makes deployment and operations more painful. In addition, appropriate security to prevent cyber threats and data breaches brings enhanced security measures. Evidently, these issues of regulatory and security challenges require a lot of resources and careful planning, and it eventually affects overall efficiency and cost related to the implementation of a 5G core network.

The drivers for the 5G Core market include various factors such as technology advancements, increasing demand for high-speed connectivity, and advanced use case support. Additionally, incentives on numerous regulatory fronts and competitive dynamics are pushing this market forward. On the other side, it faces challenges in terms of deployment cost, complex integration with legacy systems, and regulatory and security concerns. These drivers and challenges need to be balanced appropriately to accelerate the deployment and adoptions of 5G core networks, and that is what forms the future of telecommunications and digital services.

List of 5G Core Companies

Companies in the market compete on the basis of product quality offered. Major players in this market focus on expanding their manufacturing facilities, R&D investments, infrastructural development, and leverage integration opportunities across the value chain. With these strategies 5G core companies cater increasing demand, ensure competitive effectiveness, develop innovative products & technologies, reduce production costs, and expand their customer base. Some of the 5G core companies profiled in this report include-

• Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Nokia Corporation
• Huawei Technologies
• Samsung Electronics
• Cisco Systems
• Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company
• Oracle Corporation
• Athonet
• Mavenir
• Affirmed Networks

5G Core by Segment

The study includes a forecast for the global 5G core by component, deployment model, architecture outlook, end use, and region.

5G Core Market by Component [Analysis by Value from 2018 to 2030]:

• Solutions
• Services

5G Core Market by Deployment Model [Analysis by Value from 2018 to 2030]:

• On-Premises
• Cloud

5G Core Market by Architecture Outlook [Analysis by Value from 2018 to 2030]:

• Service-based Architecture
• Cloud Native Architecture

5G Core Market by End Use [Analysis by Value from 2018 to 2030]:

• Telecom Operators
• Enterprises

5G Core Market by Region [Analysis by Value from 2018 to 2030]:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia Pacific
• The Rest of the World

Country Wise Outlook for the 5G Core Market

The 5G Core market is changing very fast, with telecommunication companies investing billions into deploying a new generation of network infrastructure that will be able to serve the growing demands caused by 5G technology. The latest developments were oriented toward ensuring the efficiency of a network that can enable advanced services and respond to a number of regulatory and integration challenges. Such development has been important in realizing the full potential of 5G: enhanced performance, reduced latency, and novel applications.

• United States: In the U.S., key players such as Verizon and AT&T have already continued their endeavors for 5G core deployment. Their concentration is on network slicing and edge computing. Verizon has been launched with 5G Ultra Wideband service, powered by a cloud-native core that drives new levels of network agility and performance. Expanding its 5G core capabilities, AT&T has its eyes set on network virtualization and software-defined networking to modernize the way service delivery and operational efficiency are done.
• China: China has made giant strides in the development of 5G core networks, with major players like Huawei and China Mobile leading the way. This country is centered around deploying a cloud-native core network that would facilitate massive IoT, as well as high-speed applications. China Mobile has already deployed its 5G core network in a number of cities, including an advanced network slicing for such areas as high-definition video transmission in industrial automation.
• Germany: Germany is gaining further momentum on 5G core infrastructure with strategic investments by Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone. Already, Deutsche Telekom has introduced the MEC strategy into its 5G core network, therefore reducing latency and opening ways for real-time applications. Vodafone Germany deploys now a cloud-native core that is going to enhance the agility and scalability of the network while embedding much attention to integrating NFV for better service delivery.
• India: In 5G core deployment, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio are two of the key players in India. Bharti Airtel has been carrying out the proof-of-concepts of its 5G Core with a focus on network slicing and cloud-native technologies to respond quickly to evolving service operations requirements. Reliance Jio is expanding its 5G Core for high-speed internet access and IoT applications, each on a cloud-based robust architecture for frictionless and efficient handling and management of network traffic.
• Japan: Japan is building its 5G core networks, thanks to participation by NTT Docomo and SoftBank. NTT DoCoMo has introduced its 5G core network, emphasizing much on network virtualization and automation. The SoftBank is deploying a cloud-native core in order to have improved operational efficiency along with service delivery that will leverage its advanced network slicing capabilities to enable a wide range of applications.

Features of the Global 5G Core Market

Market Size Estimates: 5G core market size estimation in terms of value ($B).

Trend and Forecast Analysis: Market trends (2018 to 2023) and forecast (2024 to 2030) by various segments and regions.

Segmentation Analysis: 5G core market size by various segments, such as by component, deployment model, architecture outlook, end use, and region in terms of value ($B).

Regional Analysis: 5G core market breakdown by North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World.

Growth Opportunities: Analysis of growth opportunities in different component, deployment model, architecture outlook, end use, and regions for the 5G core market.

Strategic Analysis: This includes M&A, new product development, and competitive landscape of the 5G core market.

Analysis of competitive intensity of the industry based on Porter's Five Forces model.

If you are looking to expand your business in this market or adjacent markets, then contact us. We have done hundreds of strategic consulting projects in market entry, opportunity screening, due diligence, supply chain analysis, M & A, and more.

FAQ

Q1. What is the 5G core market size?

Answer: The global 5G core market is expected to reach an estimated $46.9 billion by 2030.

Q2. What is the growth forecast for 5G core market?

Answer: The global 5G core market is expected to grow with a CAGR of 55.1% from 2024 to 2030.

Q3. What are the major drivers influencing the growth of the 5G core market?

Answer: The major drivers for this market are growing global demand for the implementation of 5G technologies, increasing number of linked devices and data traffic explosion and machine-to-machine communication networks are developing quickly.

Q4. What are the major segments for 5G core market?

Answer: The future of the 5G core market looks promising with opportunities in the telecom operators and enterprise markets.

Q5. Who are the key 5G core market companies?

Answer: Some of the key 5G core companies are as follows:

• Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Nokia Corporation
• Huawei Technologies
• Samsung Electronics
• Cisco Systems
• Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company
• Oracle Corporation
• Athonet
• Mavenir
• Affirmed Networks

Q6. Which 5G core market segment will be the largest in future?

Answer: Lucintel forecasts that services is expected to witness the higher growth over the forecast period because of managed services, encompassing installation, support, deployment, integration, and upkeep, as well as, global need for managed services is expected to rise as 5G non-standalone and standalone cores are adopted more frequently.

Q7. In 5G core market, which region is expected to be the largest in next 5 years?

Answer: APAC is expected to witness highest growth over the forecast period due to growing need for high-speed internet access across a range of sectors, including manufacturing, healthcare, entertainment, and the automobile industry, as well as, enhancing collaborations and investments between the public and private sectors.

Q.8 Do we receive customization in this report?

Answer: Yes, Lucintel provides 10% customization without any additional cost.

This report answers following 11 key questions:

• Q.1. What are some of the most promising, high-growth opportunities for the 5G core market by component (solutions and services), deployment model (on-premises and cloud), architecture outlook (service-based architecture and cloud native architecture), end use (telecom operators and enterprises), and region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World)?
• Q.2. Which segments will grow at a faster pace and why?
• Q.3. Which region will grow at a faster pace and why?
• Q.4. What are the key factors affecting market dynamics? What are the key challenges and business risks in this market?
• Q.5. What are the business risks and competitive threats in this market?
• Q.6. What are the emerging trends in this market and the reasons behind them?
• Q.7. What are some of the changing demands of customers in the market?
• Q.8. What are the new developments in the market? Which companies are leading these developments?
• Q.9. Who are the major players in this market? What strategic initiatives are key players pursuing for business growth?
• Q.10. What are some of the competing products in this market and how big of a threat do they pose for loss of market share by material or product substitution?
• Q.11. What M&A activity has occurred in the last 5 years and what has its impact been on the industry?
• Market Report