Preliminary findings from Dell'Oro Group suggest 5G NR mmWave investments improved in the fourth quarter but this was not enough to change the full-year growth momentum.
Following two years of exponential growth, mmWave revenues increased 15% to 20% in 2021, propelling 5G NR mmWave to account for 1% to 2% of total sub 6 GHz plus mmWave RAN revenues.
Additional mmWave highlights from the 4Q 2021 and 5-Year RAN reports:
- Ericsson leads the mmWave RAN market.
- The mismatch between capex and data consumption when comparing the sub-6 GHz and mmWave spectrum will evolve gradually over time – global 5G NR mmWave revenues are projected to reach $1 B to $2 B by 2026.
- Mobile remains the primary focus, however, gNB and repeater technology advancements are expected to improve the FWA business case.
