DUBAI, UAE. 14th October 2020: SNS Telecom & IT's latest research report package indicates that annual investments in critical communications LTE and 5G network infrastructure – for dedicated, hybrid commercial-private and secure MVNO networks – will surpass $3 Billion by the end of 2020, despite the ongoing economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For nearly a century, the critical communications industry has relied on narrowband LMR (Land Mobile Radio) networks for mission-critical voice and low-speed data services. Over time, these systems have evolved from relatively basic analog radios to digital communications technologies, such as P25 (Project 25) and TETRA, to provide superior voice quality, end-to-end encryption and other advanced features. However, due to their inherent bandwidth and design limitations, even the most sophisticated digital LMR networks are unable to support mobile broadband and data-driven industrial IoT applications that have become vital for public safety, military, utilities, transportation, oil and gas, mining and other segments of the critical communications industry.

The 3GPP-defined LTE and 5G NR standards have emerged as the leading candidates to fill this void. Over the last decade, a plethora of dedicated, hybrid commercial-private and MVNO-based 3GPP networks have been deployed to deliver critical communications broadband capabilities – in addition to the use of commercial mobile operator networks – for application scenarios as diverse as PTT group communications, real-time mobile video surveillance, AR/VR (Augmented & Virtual Reality), wirelessly connected robotics, and automation in industrial environments. These networks range from nationwide public safety broadband platforms such as the United States' FirstNet (First Responder Network), South Korea's Safe-Net (National Disaster Safety Communications Network) and Britain's ESN (Emergency Services Network) to regional cellular networks covering the service footprint of utility companies and localized wireless systems in settings such as railroads, airports, maritime ports, oil and gas production facilities, remote mining sites, factories and warehouses.

At present, most critical communications user organizations employ LTE and 5G NR as complementary technologies to augment existing voice-centric LMR networks with broadband capabilities. However, with the standardization and commercial availability of MCX (Mission-Critical PTT, Video & Data), IOPS (Isolated Operation for Public Safety), HPUE (High-Power User Equipment) and other 3GPP-defined critical communications features, LTE and 5G NR networks are increasingly gaining recognition as an all-inclusive critical communications platform for the delivery of mobile broadband and industrial IoT capabilities, as well as MCPTT (Mission-Critical PTT) voice functionality comparable to that offered by traditional LMR systems.

Despite the economic slowdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenges, SNS Telecom & IT estimates that global investments in LTE and 5G network infrastructure for critical communications will surpass $3 Billion by the end of 2020. The market is further expected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 13% between 2020 and 2023, eventually accounting for nearly $5 Billion by 2023.

Spanning over 2,000 pages, the "LTE & 5G for Critical Communications: 2020 – 2030 – Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies & Forecasts" report package encompasses two comprehensive reports covering the use of LTE and 5G NR networks for critical communications.

• The Private LTE & 5G Network Ecosystem: 2020 – 2030 – Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies, Industry Verticals & Forecasts

• The Public Safety LTE & 5G Market: 2020 – 2030 – Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies & Forecasts

This report package provides an in-depth assessment of LTE and 5G for critical communications including the value chain, market drivers, barriers to uptake, enabling technologies, key trends, future roadmap, vertical sectors, application scenarios, standardization, spectrum availability/allocation, regulatory landscape, case studies, ecosystem player profiles and strategies, as well as LTE and 5G network infrastructure investment forecasts from 2020 till 2030.

The report package comes with an associated Excel datasheet suite covering quantitative data from all numeric forecasts presented in both reports.

The report package will be of value to current and future potential investors into the critical communications industry, as well as LTE/5G equipment suppliers, critical communications user organizations, industrial IoT companies, vertical-domain specialists, mobile operators, MVNOs and other ecosystem players who wish to broaden their knowledge of the ecosystem.

For further information concerning the SNS Telecom & IT publication “LTE & 5G for Critical Communications: 2020 – 2030 – Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies & Forecasts” please visit: https://www.snstelecom.com/lte-for-critical-communications

For a sample please contact: info@snstelecom.com

Notes for Editors

If you are interested in a more detailed overview of this report, please send an e-mail to info@snstelecom.com

About SNS Telecom & IT

Part of the SNS Worldwide group, SNS Telecom & IT is a global market intelligence and consulting firm with a primary focus on the telecommunications and information technology industries. Developed by in-house subject matter experts, our market intelligence and research reports provide unique insights on both established and emerging technologies. Our areas of coverage include but are not limited to wireless networks, 5G, LTE, SDN (Software Defined Networking), NFV (Network Functions Virtualization), IoT (Internet of Things), critical communications, big data, smart cities, smart homes, consumer electronics, wearable technologies, and vertical applications.