Global Operator O-RAN Strategies: 2024-2029

The O-RAN (Open Radio Access Network) research suite provides insights and actionable insights into this rapidly growing and competitive market; enabling stakeholders, such as operators and O-RAN vendors to navigate and capitalise on the development and deployment of O-RAN hardware and software in operator networks.

This is achieved through a detailed assessment of the solution flexibility factors driving O-RAN architecture development and deployment in the telecommunications industry, including the growing volume and technical challenges of volatility in cellular data generation, increasing mobile user equipment and higher RAN capital and operating expenditure. The report also provides an analysis of the different O-RAN components, including the RIC (Radio Access Network Intelligent Controller) split into non-RT RIC (Real-time Radio Access Network Intelligent Controller) and near-RT-RIC, SMO (Service Management and Orchestration), O-Cloud, and radio units, distributed units, and centralised units. It also provides operators with strategies for xApp and rApp development and deployment, O-RAN security innovation, multi-vendor and integration, and brownfield deployments.

The market growth report also includes analysis and recommendations for how operators can maximise the impact of O-RAN on quality of service, network performance, and network efficiency. Analysis and recommendations are provided for RIS (Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface) integration, MOCN (Multi-operator Core Network), network slicing, traffic steering, and private networks.

The market forecast suite includes several different options that can be purchased separately, including access to data mapping and a forecast document; a strategy and trends document detailing critical trends in the market and strategic recommendations for deploying O-RAN and maximising its benefits, such as eliminating vendor lock-in and increased access to intelligence and automation, and a Competitor Leaderboard containing extensive analysis of 13 market leaders and technology providers in O-RAN.

The connectivity technology coverage can also be purchased as a Full Research Suite, which contains all these elements and offers a substantial discount.

Collectively, they provide a critical tool for understanding these rapidly emerging market segments, and for operators and O-RAN vendors shaping their future strategy for monetisation and network transformation. Its unparalleled coverage makes this research suite an incredibly useful resource for charting the future of a crucial and rapidly growing market.

Key Statistics

• $3.5bn - Operator O-RAN investment in 2024
• $39bn - Operator O-RAN investment in 2029
• 19.1% - Proportion of total base stations that are O-RAN-compliant in 2029
• 2024-2029 - Forecast period

Key Features

• Market Dynamics: Insights into key trends and opportunities within the O-RAN market; such as RIS integration, RAN sharing, traffic steering, network slicing, as well as single-0vednor and multi-vendor RAN. These use cases will be critical to operators maximising total cost of ownership savings and benefits to quality of service and network technologies performance. Included is analysis of the latest O-RAN standards released by the O-RAN Alliance such as the introduction of a new O-RAN fronthaul interface, and trials by operators and vendors. Also provided are recommendations for the development and deployment of xApps and rApps, the deployment and integration of multi-vendor O-RAN, and strategies for greenfield and brownfield O-RAN deployments.
• Key Takeaways & Strategic Recommendations: In-depth analysis of key development opportunities and findings within the O-RAN market shares, accompanied by strategic recommendations for operators and O-RAN vendors.
• Benchmark Industry Forecasts: The forecast market size business overview into mobile network operators and O-RAN vendors provides forecasts for the total number of mobile subscribers and cellular IoT devices, total operator revenue, and total cellular data generated. Also included are forecasts for the total number of base stations, total number of O-RAN base stations, total operator investment and commercial deployment in O-RAN, and cumulative investment in O-RAN over the next five years.
• Competitor Leaderboard: Key player capability and capacity assessment of 13 O-RAN vendors via the Competitor Leaderboard. This features market sizing for major players in the O-RAN industry and a detailed analysis of their offerings.

Market Data & Forecasting Report

The research suite for the O-RAN market includes access to the full set of forecast data of 40 tables and over 24,000 datapoints. Metrics in the research suite include:

• Total User Equipment, Split by Mobile Subscriptions and Cellular IoT Devices
• Total Cellular Data Generated by User Equipment, Split by Mobile Subscriptions and Cellular IoT Devices
• Total Operator Revenue from User Equipment, Split by Mobile Subscriptions and Cellular IoT Devices
• Total Number of Base Stations
• Total Number of O-RAN Compliant Base Stations
• Total Operator Investment in O-RAN Per Year
• Cumulative Operator Investment in O-RAN

The Interactive Forecast Excel contains the following functionality:

• Statistics Analysis: Users benefit from the ability to search for specific metrics, displayed for all regions and countries across the data period. Graphs are easily modified and can be exported to the clipboard.
• Country Data Tool: This tool lets users look at metrics for all regions and countries in the forecast period. Users can refine the metrics displayed via a search bar.
• Country Comparison Tool: Users can select and compare specific countries. The ability to export graphs is included in this tool.
• What-if Analysis: Here, users can compare forecast metrics using a proactive approach, against their own assumptions, via 5 interactive scenarios.

Market Trends & Strategies Report

This growth of demand report thoroughly examines the O-RAN market landscape; assessing market trends and factors shaping the evolution of this rapidly developing and growing market. The future market trends report delivers a comprehensive analysis of the strategic business opportunities for operators and O-RAN vendors.

The innovative ecosystem report addresses how stakeholders should maximise the impact of O-RAN through use cases such as RIS integration, MOCN, network slicing, traffic steering, and private networks. Analysis, market breakdown and strategic recommendations are provided for xApp and rApp development and deployment, network security innovation, such as zero trust architectures, brownfield O-RAN deployments, and multi-vendor operator deployments.

It also includes evaluation of specific operators’ cloudification strategies and the wider O-RAN market in key countries. This includes analysis of the progress in O-RAN deployments and development, the development of O-RAN standards by the O-RAN Alliance, and country-level O-RAN trends.