Gartner predicts that the global market for 5G network infrastructure will grow 39% in 2021, with estimated revenues of $19.1 billion, surpassing the $13.7 billion for 2020.
Michael Porowski, Senior Principal Research Analyst at Gartner, noted that the COVID-19 pandemic “spiked demand for optimized and ultrafast broadband connectivity to support work-from-home and bandwidth-hungry applications, such as streaming video, online gaming and social media applications.”
This new direction corresponded with an acceleration of 5G development in 2020 and 2021 due to communications service providers (CSPs) in developed markets. Gartner found that 5G accounted for 39% of total wireless infrastructure revenues this year.
The report also highlighted that investment in other wireless infrastructure is decreasing “rapidly” in “all regions” as CSPs switch to 5G small cells.
By accelerating the adoption of dynamic frequency sharing and millimeter-wave base stations, CSPs in North America will generate 5G revenue of $4.3 billion in 2021, a significant increase from $2.9 billion last year.
CSPs in Western Europe are taking a different path, focusing on spectrum licensing, upgrading core mobile infrastructure, and managing regulatory processes, while gradually increasing 5G revenues from $794 million in 2020 to nearly $2 billion in 2021.
According to Gartner, the Greater China region would retain its top spot with $9.1 billion from 5G revenue in 2021.
By 2024, Gartner predicts that 60% of CSPs will offer commercialized 5G services.
For more information, read the original story in ZDNet.