The C-RAN (Centralized Radio Access Network) Ecosystem: 2017 – 2030 – Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies & Forecasts

Release Date: July 2017

Number of Pages: 430

Number of Tables and Figures: 115

Synopsis: Centralized RAN or C-RAN is an architectural shift in RAN (Radio Access Network) design, where the bulk of baseband processing is centralized and aggregated for a large number of distributed radio nodes. In comparison to standalone clusters of base stations, C-RAN provides significant performance and economic benefits such as baseband pooling, enhanced coordination between cells, virtualization, network extensibility, smaller deployment footprint and reduced power consumption.

Initially popularized by Japanese and South Korean mobile operators, C-RAN technology is beginning to gain momentum worldwide with major tier 1 operators – including Verizon Communications, AT&T, Sprint, China Mobile, Vodafone, TIM (Telecom Italia Mobile), Orange and Telefónica – seeking to leverage the benefits of centralized baseband processing.

SNS Research estimates that global investments in C-RAN architecture networks will reach nearly $9 Billion by the end of 2017. The market is further expected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 24% between 2017 and 2020. These investments will include spending on RRHs (Remote Radio Heads), BBUs (Baseband Units) and fronthaul transport network equipment.

The “C-RAN (Centralized Radio Access Network) Ecosystem: 2017 – 2030 – Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies & Forecasts” report presents an in-depth assessment of the C-RAN ecosystem including enabling technologies, key trends, market drivers, challenges, standardization, regulatory landscape, deployment models, operator case studies, opportunities, future roadmap, value chain, ecosystem player profiles and strategies. The report also presents forecasts for C-RAN infrastructure investments from 2017 till 2030. The forecasts cover 3 individual submarkets and 6 regions.

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

Sample Request:

For a sample of the report or any further inquiries please contact info@snstelecom.com

Pricing:

The report is available for the following price:

  • Single User License: USD 2,500
  • Company Wide License: USD 3,500

Key Findings:

The report has the following key findings:

  • Expected to reach nearly $9 Billion in global spending by the end of 2017, C-RAN is increasingly becoming the preferred approach to deploy future mobile networks. The market is further expected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 24% between 2017 and 2020.
  • Small cells are also beginning to be deployed in a C-RAN architecture to leverage the benefits of resource pooling and multi-cell coordination. This trend is particularly prevalent in the indoor and enterprise segments, with a number of dedicated vendor solutions such as CommScope's OneCell, SpiderCloud's E-RAN, Ericsson's Radio Dot, and Huawei's LampSite.
  • Mobile operators are exploring multiple baseband functional split options for C-RAN implementation, as they seek to ease the transition to 5G networks while reducing fronthaul costs.
  • By the end of 2020, SNS Research estimates that vRAN/Cloud RAN deployments with virtualized baseband processing will account for nearly 20% of all C-RAN investments.
  • The vendor arena is continuing to consolidate with several prominent M&A deals such as Mavenir Systems' recent merger with C-RAN specialist Ranzure Networks, which has positioned the company as an end-to-end provider of 5G-ready mobile network solutions.

Topics Covered:

The report covers the following topics:

  • C-RAN ecosystem
  • Market drivers and barriers
  • Key architectural components (RRH, BBU and fronthaul)
  • Competing RAN architectures including traditional macrocell base stations, standalone small cells and DAS (Distributed Antenna Systems)
  • Key trends including baseband functional splitting, enterprise RAN, vRAN (Virtualized RAN)/Cloud RAN, MEC (Mobile Edge Computing) and RANaaS (RAN-as-a-Service)
  • Fronthaul networking technologies and interface options
  • C-RAN deployment models and mobile operator case studies
  • Regulatory landscape and standardization
  • Industry roadmap and value chain
  • Profiles and strategies of over 230 leading ecosystem players including enabling technology providers, radio equipment suppliers, BBU vendors, fronthaul network equipment vendors and mobile operators
  • Strategic recommendations for ecosystem players including C-RAN solution providers and mobile operators
  • Market analysis and forecasts from 2017 till 2030

Forecast Segmentation:

Market forecasts are provided for each of the following submarkets and their subcategories:

  • Submarket Segmentation
    • RRHs (Remote Radio Heads)
    • BBUs (Baseband Units)
    • Fronthaul
  • Air Interface Technology Segmentation
    • 3G & LTE
    • 5G NR (New Radio)
  • Network Architecture Segmentation
    • Non-Virtualized C-RAN
    • vRAN/Cloud RAN
  • Deployment Model Segmentation
    • Indoor
    • Outdoor
  • Cell Size Segmentation
    • Small Cells
    • Macrocells
  • Fronthaul Transport Network Technology Segmentation
    • Dedicated Fiber
    • WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplexing)
    • OTN (Optical Transport Network)
    • PON (Passive Optical Network)
    • Ethernet
    • Microwave
    • Millimeter Wave
    • G.Fast & Others
  • Regional Markets
    • Asia Pacific
    • Eastern Europe
    • Middle East & Africa
    • Latin & Central America
    • North America
    • Western Europe

Key Questions Answered:

The report provides answers to the following key questions:

  • How big is the C-RAN opportunity?
  • What trends, challenges and barriers are influencing its growth?
  • How is the ecosystem evolving by segment and region?
  • What will the market size be in 2020 and at what rate will it grow?
  • Which submarkets will see the highest percentage of growth?
  • How can C-RAN facilitate the management of interference and LTE-Advanced features such as CoMP (Coordinated Multi-Point)?
  • What are the benefits and drawbacks of each baseband functional split option?
  • How can C-RAN reduce the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) of RAN deployments?
  • What are the prospects of wireless fronthaul technologies?
  • Is Ethernet a feasible solution for fronthaul networking?
  • How big is the market for vRAN/Cloud RAN networks?
  • How can mobile operators future-proof their RAN investments for 5G upgrades?
  • Who are the key market players and what are their strategies?
  • What strategies should C-RAN solution providers and mobile operators adopt to remain competitive?

List of Companies Mentioned:

The following companies and organizations have been reviewed, discussed or mentioned in the report:

3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project)

3Roam

6WIND

Accelink Technologies Corporation

Accelleran

Actelis Networks

ADLINK Technology

ADTRAN

ADVA Optical Networking

Advantech

Airspan Networks

Alpha Networks

Alphabet

Altiostar Networks

Amarisoft

América Móvil Group

Anritsu Corporation

APRESIA Systems

Aquantia Corporation

Argela

ARIB (Association of Radio Industries and Businesses, Japan)

Aricent

ARM Holdings

ARRIS International

Artemis Networks

Artesyn Embedded Technologies

Artiza Networks

ASOCS

ASTRI (Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute)

AT&T

ATIS (Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions, United States)

Aviat Networks

Axxcelera Broadband Wireless

Azcom Technology

Baicells Technologies

Benetel

Blu Wireless Technology

BluWan

Boomsense/Bangxun Technology

BridgeWave Communications

Broadband Forum

Broadcom

BT Group

CableFree (Wireless Excellence)

Cadence Design Systems

Calix

Cambium Networks

Casa Systems

Cavium

CBNL (Cambridge Broadband Networks Ltd.)

CCI (Communication Components, Inc.)

CCS (Cambridge Communication Systems)

CCSA (China Communications Standards Association)

cellXica

Ceragon Networks

CEVA

China Mobile

China Telecom

China Unicom

Ciena Corporation

Cisco Systems

Clavister

Cobham Wireless

Coherent Logix

Collision Communications

Comcores

CommAgility

CommScope

Contela

Corecess

Coriant

Corning

Dali Wireless

DASAN Zhone Solutions

Datang Mobile

Dell Technologies

DragonWave

eASIC Corporation

E-Band Communications

EBlink

ECI Telecom

EE

Ekinops

ELVA-1

Eoptolink Technology

Ericsson

Ethernity Networks

ETRI (Electronics & Telecommunications Research Institute, South Korea)

ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute)

Exalt Wireless

EXFO

ExteNet Systems

Extreme Networks

Facebook

Fairwaves

Faraday Technology Corporation

FastBack Networks

FiberHome Technologies

FibroLan

Finisar Corporation

Flex Logix Technologies

Foxconn Interconnect Technology

Fraunhofer FOKUS (Institute for Open Communication Systems)

Fraunhofer HHI (Heinrich Hertz Institute)

Frog Cellsat

Fujian Sunnada Network Technology

Fujitsu

Furukawa Electric Group

GigaLight

GlobalFoundaries

Google

HCL Technologies

HFR

Hisense

Hitachi

HPE (Hewlett Packard Enterprise)

Huahuan

Huawei

HUBER+SUHNER

HXI

IBM Corporation

IDT (Integrated Device Technology)

IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)

Imec International

InCoax

Infineon Technologies

Infinera

InfiNet Wireless

InnoLight Technology

InnoWireless

Intel Corporation

InterDigital

Intracom Telecom

IP Light

ip.access

IPITEK

Iskratel

IS-Wireless

ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute, Taiwan)

ITU (International Telecommunications Union)

JMA Wireless

JRC (Japan Radio Company)

Juni Global

Kathrein-Werke KG

KDDI Corporation

KEYMILE

Keysight Technologies

Kisan Telecom

KMW

KPN

KT Corporation

Lattice Semiconductor

LG Uplus

LightPointe Communications

Lindsay Broadband

Loea Corporation

Lumentum

Luminate Wireless

MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings

Maja Systems

Maven Wireless

Mavenir Systems

MAX4G

MaxLinear

MEF (Metro Ethernet Forum)

MegaFon

Mellanox Technologies

Microsemi Corporation

Microwave Networks

MIMOtech

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation

Mobiveil

Molex

Moseley Associates

MRV Communications

MTI (Microelectronics Technology, Inc.)

N.A.T.

Nash Technologies

NEC Corporation

Netonomics

NETSCOUT Systems

New Postcom Equipment

Nexcomm Systems

NexxCom Wireless

NGMN (Next Generation Mobile Networks) Alliance

Node-H

Nokia

Nokia Networks

Nokia Technologies

NTT DoCoMo

NuRAN Wireless

Nutaq Innovation

NXP Semiconductors

Octasic

OE Solutions

Omnitron Systems

ON.Lab (Open Networking Lab)

OneAccess Networks

ONF (Open Networking Foundation)

Orange

OSA (OpenAirInterface Software Alliance)

Parallel Wireless

Peraso Technologies

Phluido

PMN (Private Mobile Networks)

Polewall

Potevio

Proxim Wireless Corporation

Qualcomm

Qucell

Qwilt

RACOM

RAD Data Communications

Radisys Corporation

RADWIN

Raisecom

Range Networks

Red Hat

Redline Communications

REMEC Broadband Wireless Networks

Saguna Networks

SAI Technology

Samji Electronics

Samsung Electronics

Sarokal Test Systems

SCF (Small Cell Forum)

SerComm Corporation

SIAE Microelectronica

Siklu Communication

Sistelbanda

SITRONICS

SK Telecom

SK Telesys

SkyFiber

SoftBank Group

Solectek Corporation

SOLiD

Sooktha

Source Photonics

Spectronite

SpiderCloud Wireless

Sprint Corporation

SRS (Software Radio Systems)

Star Solutions

Sumitomo Electric Industries

Sunwave Solutions

Tarana Wireless

Tata Elxsi

TEKTELIC Communications

Telco Systems

Telecom Italia Group

Telefónica Group

Telenor Group

Tellabs

Tellion

Telrad Networks

Telus Corporation

TI (Texas Instruments)

TIM (Telecom Italia Mobile)

Trango Systems

Transition Networks

TSDSI (Telecommunications Standards Development Society, India)

TTA (Telecommunications Technology Association, South Korea)

TTC (Telecommunication Technology Committee, Japan)

Ubiquoss

UTStarcom

Vanu

Verizon Communications

Viavi Solutions

VMware

Vodafone Group

Vubiq Networks

Wave1

WiPro

Xelic

Xilinx

xRAN Consortium

Zain Group

ZTE