The Global 5G Race

　5G is the fifth generation of wireless technology; it is expected to help facilitate smart living and work through significantly faster download/upload speeds, reliable communication between devices, and multi-device connectivity.

　However, the rollout of 5G requires the establishment of densified small cells, which means that more cell towers are required in order to enable a super-fast and stable network.

　The global 5G infrastructure market is expected to grow by approximately tenfold going forward, led by China, Japan, and the USA, which have the necessary infrastructure available. Verizon (USA) and SK Telecom (KOR) announced official commercial launches in April 2019, but the current performance of 5G networks is lagging far behind expectations, like unstable connectivity and slower download speed than needed, and thus require more infrastructure development.

　In order to be competitive after commercialisation, global mobile network operators and technology companies are actively implementing 3GPP standards and submitting 5G patent applications, which have been steadily on the rise as of late; Samsung (KOR) and Huawei (CHN) lead in patent ownership.

　Major companies in the 5G hardware value chain are players in chipsets, base stations, and terminal mobile devices. Qualcomm (USA) has a competitive advantage in chip development due to its dominant market position and advanced products. Huawei, Ericsson (SWE), and Nokia (FIN) focus on 5G network infrastructure and account for a majority of the global base station market. However, looking at the complete hardware value chain, Huawei and Samsung are the only players with a strong position in the supply chain.

Report Index

• Executive Summary
• What is 5G?
• Global Overview of 5G
• Competition through Standards and Patents
• Market Conditions of 5G Chipsets
• Foundation for Communications Infrastructure

　The full report is only available for SPEEDA subscribers.

　If you would like to find out more about this report and what SPEEDA is able to offer, please kindly reach us at sp-asia.mktgroup@uzabase.com

　If you are subscribed to SPEEDA, please click on the following link to access the full report.