PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1849601
PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1849601
5G small cells are low-power, compact wireless access points that enhance 5G network coverage, capacity, and data speeds in high-density areas. These cells work in conjunction with macro cell towers to provide seamless connectivity and reduce network congestion. They improve signal strength, minimize latency, and support high-bandwidth applications.
The main types of 5G small cells are pico cells, micro cells, and macro cells. A 5G pico cell is a small, low-power cellular base station designed to improve network coverage and capacity in indoor environments or specific small outdoor areas. These cells operate across various frequency ranges, including low band, mid band, and high band (mmWave). They can be deployed in different environments, such as indoor, outdoor, and remote or rural locations. Additionally, small cells can be integrated into various network architectures such as O-RAN, V-RAN, and C-RAN. The primary end-users of these small cells are telecom operators and enterprises.
Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report's Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.
The sharp rise in U.S. tariffs and the ensuing trade tensions in spring 2025 are having a significant impact on the information technology sector, especially in hardware manufacturing, data infrastructure, and software deployment. Increased duties on imported semiconductors, circuit boards, and networking equipment have driven up production and operating costs for tech companies, cloud service providers, and data centers. Firms that depend on globally sourced components for laptops, servers, and consumer electronics are grappling with extended lead times and mounting pricing pressures. At the same time, tariffs on specialized software and retaliatory actions by key international markets have disrupted global IT supply chains and dampened foreign demand for U.S.-made technologies. In response, the sector is ramping up investments in domestic chip production, broadening its supplier network, and leveraging AI-powered automation to improve resilience and manage costs more effectively.
The 5G small cell market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides 5G small cell market statistics, including the 5G small cell industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with the 5G small cell market share, detailed 5G small cell market segments, market trends, and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the 5G small cell industry. This 5G small cell market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.
The 5G small cell market size has grown exponentially in recent years. It will grow from $3.73 billion in 2024 to $4.59 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.8%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to the rise in demand for mmWave small cells, increasing use of neutral host models, increasing adoption by enterprises for dedicated networks, expansion in emerging markets, and increasing investment in 5G infrastructure.
The 5G small cell market size is expected to see exponential growth in the next few years. It will grow to $10.47 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.9%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing mobile data traffic, increasing demand for high-speed connectivity, IoT proliferation, rising smart city projects, and expansion of small cells in offices. Major trends in the forecast period include artificial intelligence-driven network optimization, technological advancements, integration of machine-to-machine (M2M) communications, millimeter wave technology, and enhanced security protocols.
The forecast of 22.9% growth over the next five years reflects a modest reduction of 0.8% from the previous estimate for this market. This reduction is primarily due to the impact of tariffs between the US and other countries. This is likely to directly affect the US by delaying urban 5G densification, as small cell hardware from China and Taiwan faces import restrictions. The effect will also be felt more widely due to reciprocal tariffs and the negative effect on the global economy and trade due to increased trade tensions and restrictions.
The increasing use of IoT devices is expected to drive the growth of the 5G small cell market in the coming years. IoT devices are smart, internet-connected gadgets that gather, transmit, and process data for tasks such as automation, monitoring, and remote control. The adoption of IoT devices is growing due to the need for better connectivity, greater efficiency, automation, cost savings, and a rising demand for smart solutions. 5G small cells improve IoT device performance by offering low-latency, high-speed connectivity, enhanced network capacity, and consistent coverage in densely populated areas. For example, in December 2022, the European Parliament projected that the number of IoT-connected devices would rise to 34.7 billion by 2028, up from 13.2 billion in 2022. This surge in IoT device usage is driving the expansion of the 5G small cell market.
Companies operating in the 5G small cell market are focusing on innovations such as open RAN (ORAN) architectures to improve network flexibility, reduce deployment costs, and enhance interoperability between equipment from multiple vendors. ORAN frameworks are open, interoperable radio access networks that allow mobile operators to use hardware and software from various vendors, offering greater flexibility and cost savings. For instance, in September 2022, Mavenir Systems Inc., a US-based telecommunications software company, unveiled its E511 5G small cell, designed to improve in-building coverage for communication service providers (CSPs) and private network operators. The E511 utilizes ORAN technology to provide a flexible, high-capacity solution for enhancing in-building network coverage, supporting both distributed and centralized ORAN architectures. This makes it suitable for various deployment scenarios, including offices, retail stores, warehouses, and manufacturing sites.
In October 2022, Himachal Futuristic Communications Limited (HFCL), a telecommunications and technology company based in India, formed a partnership with Qualcomm to advance 5G network solutions. The collaboration focuses on speeding up the development and deployment of small cells and radio access network (RAN) technologies, aiming to improve connectivity and network performance. Qualcomm, a US-based semiconductor and telecommunications company, specializes in wireless technology, 5G solutions, and chipsets for mobile, automotive, and IoT applications.
Major players in the 5g small cell market are Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., Cisco Systems Inc., Fujitsu Limited, Ericsson AB, Nokia Corporation, NEC Corporation, ZTE Corporation, Corning Incorporated, CommScope Holding Company Inc., Radisys Corporation, Airspan Networks Inc., Comba Telecom Systems Holdings Limited, JMA Wireless Inc., Parallel Wireless Inc., Microelectronics Technology Inc. (MTI), Altiostar Networks Inc., Baicells Technologies Co. Ltd., Blu Wireless Technology Ltd., and Mavenir Systems Inc.
North America was the largest region in the 5G small cell market in 2024. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in 5G small cell report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.
The countries covered in the 5G small cell market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.
The 5G small cell market consists of sales small cell hardware, power equipment, backhaul connectivity solutions, enclosures and mounting kits, software, and licenses. Values in this market are 'factory gate' values, that is, the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.
The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD, unless otherwise specified).
The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values and are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.
5G Small Cell Global Market Report 2025 from The Business Research Company provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the market.
This report focuses on 5g small cell market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the trends which will be shaping the market over the next ten years and beyond.
Where is the largest and fastest growing market for 5g small cell ? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward, including technological disruption, regulatory shifts, and changing consumer preferences? The 5g small cell market global report from the Business Research Company answers all these questions and many more.
The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography.
The forecasts are made after considering the major factors currently impacting the market. These include the technological advancements such as AI and automation, Russia-Ukraine war, trade tariffs (government-imposed import/export duties), elevated inflation and interest rates.