Market Trends of Asia-Pacific Small Cell 5G Industry
Telecom Operators are expected to Hold Significant Share
- The advent of 5G in the Asia-Pacific region has accelerated small-cell deployment for high-speed network connectivity. Many nations have created exemption standards that can be applied when deploying new Small Cells. For instance, in Singapore, The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has directed the building developers and owners to provide rooftop spaces free of charge for telecommunication equipment the telecom providers.
- Japan's Government has granted permissions for installing 5G base stations on 208,000 traffic lights across the country. Local administrations and operators jointly shared the costs of using the traffic lights for 5G deployments. This will help with more deployment of the solution in less time, thereby circulating 5G connectivity faster throughout the country.
- In South Korea, 202,903 5G base stations were installed at the end of February 2022, and investments are being made to expand the network further. This has opened the door for ground-breaking 5G applications and services, like robotics integration into the workplace, smart city planning, and self-driving cars. For instance, SK Telecom and Samsung Electronics collaborated to develop 5G option 4 technology, which is an advanced option to the existing 5G Standalone technology.
China is Expected to Hold Major Share
- China is leading 5G development on a worldwide scale. More than 2.54 million 5G base stations have been built nationwide, and more than 575 million people now own 5G smartphones. The country further plans to invest 1.2 trillion yuan (174.2 billion USD) in 5G network construction by 2025. This growing demand for a 5G stable network is accelerating the deployment of small-cell solutions in the country.
- Along with 5G developments, research is ongoing for 6G technology. IMT-2030 (6G) Promotion Group has been formed in the country to speed up the R&D of 6G technology. Around 2030, the world is anticipated to witness the commercialization of 6G. China is leading the charge in supporting the commercialization of 5G, which will provide a strong basis for the development of 6G.
- The technology leaders like Huawei, ZTE, and (state-owned) Datang Telecom are the big beneficiaries of China’s 5G infrastructure spending. For instance, the Beijing Branch of China Mobile, the China Mobile Research Institute, China Transport Telecommunications & Information Group, and ZTE all collaborated on the 5G non-terrestrial network (NTN) testing.
- Communication instances, including synchronization, broadcasting, accessing, and data transmission, were all successfully tested during this trial.
- In August 2022, China Mobile collaborated with Comba Telecom to deploy small cell base stations. These are designed for complex indoor locations to provide greater flexibility and efficiency for medium- and large-scale indoor radio networks.