Mobile Network Drive Test Equipment Market Size (2024 - 2029)

Mobile Network Drive Test Equipment Market Analysis

The Mobile Network Drive Test Equipment Market size is estimated at USD 5.71 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 8.44 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 8.10% during the forecast period (2024-2029).

Rising smartphone penetration, the deployment of 5G NR, and the addition of a slew of newly connected network equipment are expected to open up new market opportunities and necessitate new drive testing requirements.

• Drive testing is a process of measuring and assessing a mobile radio network's coverage, capacity, and Quality of Service (quality of service). Typically, the equipment consists of highly specialized electronic devices that interface with OEM mobile handsets. Despite the pandemic, the market is expected to gain traction, driven by the fastest 4G and investments in 5G network deployments.
• The market is driven by a rising telecom subscriber base and increased R&D activities globally. Furthermore, the fast deployment of the 5G network and the increasing popularity of software-defined testing are major factors expected to drive the mobile network testing equipment market throughout the forecast period.
• According to Ericsson, approximately 8.4 billion mobile subscriptions were expected by the end of 2022, which is expected to rise to about 9.2 billion by the end of 2028. As a result, the increasing use of mobile networks is expected to boost the demand for testing equipment, allowing several vendors to meet demand while maintaining a competitive edge in the market.
• Network connectivity continues to evolve rapidly, from 2G to 3G, 4G, and now 5G. The rise of high-capacity networks with improved mobile broadband and ultra-reliable low-latency communications necessitates more rigorous 5G NR drive testing. Continuous R&D activities for producing 5G testing devices that are industry-compliant and more application-oriented are expected to boost the market over the forecast period.
• Moreover, one of the major applications driving the demand for network testing equipment is network benchmarking. Drive testing is the only way for mobile network operators to collect accurate competitive data on the actual level of their own and their competitors' technical performance and quality levels. Drive test benchmarking tools simultaneously measure multiple network technologies and service types to provide comparable information about competitive strengths and weaknesses.
• The rapid advancement of technology in networking and communication is a significant factor driving the growth of the test equipment market. Furthermore, the growing acceptance of IoT devices, the introduction of 5G technology, and the deployment of 4G networks will provide ample opportunities for the drive test equipment market. For example, the government-owned telco Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) announced it would receive INR 44,720 crore (USD 5.98 billion) in February 2022 for capital investment in the 4G spectrum, technology investments, and organizational restructuring. Such investments will likely drive the market.
• Rising disposable income and the development of 5G technologies are also expected to drive market growth. However, the high cost of test equipment may limit market growth.

Mobile Network Drive Test Equipment Industry Segmentation

Drive testing measures and evaluates a mobile radio network's coverage, capacity, and Quality of Service (QoS). When placed in a specific set of environmental and network conditions, drive testing captures accurate real-world data of the RF environment. The method entails driving a vehicle equipped with mobile radio network air interface measurement equipment capable of detecting and recording a wide range of physical and virtual parameters of mobile cellular service.

The mobile network drive test equipment market is segmented by application (benchmarking, monitoring & control, network testing), end-user (mobile operators, equipment manufacturers), network ((2G/3G/4G), others (NB-IoT, 5G NR, LTE-M)), and by geography (North America (United States, Canada), Europe (United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Rest of Asia-Pacific), and Rest of the World). The market sizes and forecasts are provided in terms of value (USD) for all the above segments.