5G Test Equipment Market, Global, 2025-2029

AI-Powered Automation is Driving Transformational Growth

The global 5G test equipment market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 4.2% from 2024 to 2029.

The objective of this study is to identify the key trends prevailing in the market as of the base year 2024 and the factors that drive and restrain market growth.

The product scope includes:

• Semiconductor ATE - Non-memory ATE, Memory ATE, Discrete ATE, Others (Test Handlers, Test Instrumentation)
• RF Test Equipment - One-box Testers, Spectrum and Signal Analyzers, Signal Generators
• Digital Test Equipment - Oscilloscopes, Bit Error Rate Testers (BERTs), Protocol Analyzers, Source Measurement Units (SMUs)
• Fiber Optic Test Equipment - Optical Time-domain Reflectometers (OTDRs), Fiber Inspection Probes (FIPs), Optical Spectrum Analyzers (OSAs), Optical Power Meters (OPMs)
• GbE Test Equipment - 25 GbE, 40 GbE, 100 GbE, 400 GbE, 800 GbE, 1.6 TbE
• Network Optimizing and Benchmarking Solutions - Drive Testing, Walk Testing

The study also offers a regional perspective of demand patterns in various advanced and emerging markets, including the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Asia-Pacific.

The study provides global coverage while focusing on the trend analysis. The need for standalone 5G and private 5G is an important trend. The global private 5G network market is growing exponentially at approximately 30%-45% year over year. With increased bandwidth speed, sophisticated networks, and enhanced security, 5G has been the frontrunner for both commercial and residential applications. Automated testing is on the rise to reduce manual labor, and the focus is on both organic and inorganic growth. New product innovation and mergers and acquisitions are vital for vendor growth. The global 5G test equipment market generated $1,470.1 million in 2024.

Revenue Forecast

The revenue estimate for the base year is $1,470.1 million, with a CAGR of 4.2% for the study period from 2024 to 2029.

Scope of Analysis

• Running into its sixth year, 5G is still a dynamic market with the relevant test equipment market growing better than any of its test product counterparts.
• The various products covered include semiconductor automated testing equipment (ATE), RF testing equipment, digital testing equipment, fiber optic testing equipment, gigabit Ethernet (GbE) testing equipment, and network optimizing and benchmarking solutions.
• The market is further sub-segmented into various components, namely chipset, device, network layer, and application layer.
• The application segments include research and development (R&D), manufacturing, and installation and maintenance (I&M).
• This is a global study focusing on 4 main regions: The Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), and the Middle East and Africa (MEA). Trends and market analysis are provided at the global level with a regional view.

Geographic Scope

• Americas
  • North America: The United States and Canada
  • LATAM, including Mexico
• Europe
  • Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and the Rest of Europe (RoE)
  • RoE: Scandinavia, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, Benelux, Iberia (Spain and Portugal), Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ireland, Nordic countries (Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland), Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia, Turkey, Estonia, Lithuania, Switzerland, Latvia, and Romania
  • CIS countries: Russia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, and Armenia
• APAC
  • India, China, Japan, South Korea, and the Rest of APAC
  • Rest of APAC: Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), Sri Lanka, Pakistan, North Korea, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Southeast Asia
• MEA
  • The Middle East: Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Palestine, Kuwait, Oman, and Lebanon
  • Africa: South Africa, West Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa

Note: The forecasting is provided at the regional level (and not by country) and the total market level.

The Impact of the Top 3 Strategic Imperatives on the 5G Test Equipment Industry

Transformative Megatrends

WHY

• Private 5G, service assurance, edge, and cloud computing are some of the megatrends driving the growth of 5G and the test equipment market.
• Since its inception in 2019, 5G has made a paradigm shift in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and increased active testing and monitoring across various end-user industries.
• More complex network functionalities are now easy to run and will increase further.

FROST PERSPECTIVE

• While 6G testing has started the R&D phase, commercial deployment is not expected until 2030. Until then, 5G is expected to continue to expand its horizon in critical applications such as healthcare and defense.
• NTN is one of the key focus areas of 5G and will enable various platforms, including Internet of Things (IoT) and network applications, to extend into global applications.

Innovative Business Models

WHY

• With exponential growth in the 5G sector, the focus has moved from a product-centric approach to a service-based model.
• Business-to-Business-to-x (B2B2X) is one such new business model that helps telcos serve 5G customers across industries.
• This has led to increased sophisticated testing requirements, driving 5G test equipment market growth.

FROST PERSPECTIVE

• This B2B2X business model creates an opportunity for more partnerships for an end-to-end solution that cuts across the entire networking value chain.
• The challenges associated with 5G will decrease due to outcome-based pricing models that will drive more vendors to prioritize 5G.

Internal Challenges

WHY

• 5G expansion involves heavy CAPEX investments that hinder growth among Tier III companies. Sophisticated hardware updates are also expensive.
• Software-oriented deployments are comparatively cost-effective, but their features and functionalities are not as sophisticated as their hardware counterparts.

FROST PERSPECTIVE

• Test vendors can overcome this challenge in several ways, including customer education, asset management services, and innovative business models.
• Other challenges include a lack of qualified personnel and adapting internal processes that leverage 5G.

Growth Drivers

• Growth in Private 5G Networks
• Need for High Service Quality Assurance (SQA)
• Growth in 5G Non-terrestrial Networks (NTN)

Key Competitors

• Advantest
• Teradyne
• Cohu
• Chroma
• SPEA S.p.A.
• Marvin Test Solutions
• Sandtek Corporation
• AEHR
• YoungTek Electronics Corp
• QualiTau
• MPI Corporation
• FormFactor
• Insight DI
• Beijing Huafeng Measurement and Control Technology Co., Ltd.
• ficonTEC Service GmbH
• Keysight Technologies
• Anritsu
• Rohde & Schwarz
• Teradyne
• Viavi
• Aplab
• Avcom of Virginia
• B&K Precision Corporation
• Chroma
• Teledyne LeCroy
• GAO Tek
• GW Instek
• Marvin Test Solutions
• RIGOL
• Siglent Technologies
• Signal Hound
• Standford Research Systems
• Tektronix
• Teradyne
• Keysight Technologies
• Tektronix
• Teledyne LeCroy
• B&K Precision Corporation
• GW Instek
• RIGOL
• Siglent Technologies
• Tektronix
• Yokogawa
• Chauvin Arnoux
• GAO Tek
• PROMAX
• Pico Technology
• Rohde & Schwarz
• HBM
• Dewesoft
• Gossen Metrawatt
• Meco Instruments
• Megger
• Spirent Communications
• Keysight Technologies
• VIAVI Solutions
• EXFO
• Anritsu
• Teledyne LeCroy
• VeEX
• Xena
• Spirent
• Tektronix
• Infovista
• Rohde & Schwarz
• Keysight Technologies
• Accuvver
• DingLi
• PCTEL Inc.
• Viavi
• Spirent
• NetScout
• Elisa Polystar
• Radcom
• Gigacom
• Riverbed Technologies
• Sandvine Corporation

Competitive Environment

• Number of Competitors
  • More than 30
• Competitive Factors
  • One-stop-shop, AI capability, automation, M&A
• Key End-user Industry Verticals
  • Chipset manufacturers, network operators, NEMs, device manufacturers
• Leading Competitors
  • Keysight, Tektronix, Teledyne LeCroy, Rohde & Schwarz, Anritsu
• Revenue Share of Top 5 Competitors (2024)
  • 87.8%
• Other Notable Competitors
  • Advantest, Teradyne, Spirent, Infovista, Viavi
• Distribution Structure
  • Both direct and indirect sales spread across regions

Growth Restraints

• Rapid Technological Evolution Barrier to Existing 5G Growth
• Lack of AI