After a 40-50 percent revenue surge from 2017 to 2021, the RAN market is facing its second consecutive year of steep declines. Though the pace of decline may slow after 2024, downward pressure is expected to persist until the arrival of 6G technology, according to Dell’Oro Group.
A key factor behind this decline is the overpromising of 5G, which has not substantially improved flat revenue trends among operators, leading to growing skepticism over the need for large investments in new technologies.
Total RAN revenues are expected to continue declining until 2029.
6G RAN revenues could reach $30 billion by 2033.
Sub-7 GHz and cmWave macro bands are projected to dominate the 6G landscape by 2033.
The industry now awaits the rollout of 6G as a potential game-changer for the sector.
Stefan Pongratz, Vice President of RAN and Telecom Capex research at Dell’Oro, noted that operators spent over $2 trillion on 4G and 5G infrastructure between 2010 and 2023, yet revenues have remained stagnant.
He emphasized that while mobile data traffic growth is slowing, operators will eventually need more capacity, with spectrum optimization likely offering the most cost-effective solution.
