5G SA: Is it too late for the slow movers to monetise?
In this annual update to our Telco Cloud Deployment Tracker we focus on 5G core, vRAN/open RAN and cloud-native container orchestration platform deployments by telcos.
Tag Archives: 5G standalone
Telco AI data centre forecast: Where will the compute live in the AI era?
Our telco AI data centre forecast examines the rise of AI factories alongside the evolution of network edge infrastructure, showing how AI-driven demand is accelerating growth in telco compute capacity. How will data sovereignty requirements and new industrial AI applications reshape the telco compute capacity landscape?
Evolving RAN architectures: Early lessons on embedding flexibility and openness
The RAN is evolving towards greater openness and disaggregation, but the path is hybrid and incremental. This report explores the challenges operators face, early lessons from deployments, and why embedding openness and flexibility early is critical to long-term competitiveness.
Private network sites forecast 2024–2030
This research note presents STL Partners’ forecast for the number of active private network sites over a 7-year period. It details site numbers across seven regions and acts as a complement to our Private network market forecast 2024–2030.
Private network market forecast (2025 update)
This report presents quantitative analysis of the global demand for private networks over a 7-year period. We explore the revenue trends across the value chain and provide insights into different deployment models and technologies across 14 verticals.
Telco cloud deployment tracker Q1 2025: The various flavours of open RAN
Most large-scale deployments of virtualised RAN (vRAN) at Tier 1 telcos are currently based on single-vendor architecture. But operators are deploying vRAN in innovative ways that aim to preserve many open RAN benefits. This report looks at the current status of vRAN and open RAN deployments as well as the increasing awareness of the importance of deploying cloud-native RAN across multiple containers-as-a-service (CaaS) layers.
Telecom network evolution forecast: A platform approach to monetising 5G
Taken in isolation, investment in 5G has thus far failed to deliver on its promises – both technically and commercially. In this combined market forecast for edge computing, private networks and telecom APIs until 2030, we identify how telcos can leverage all their assets to help deliver on the original ambitions of 5G.
Flavours of private networks: Key delivery models
This report explores private network delivery models – on-premises, hybrid and network slicing. It also offers insights into deployment strategies, market opportunities and actionable recommendations for telcos to address diverse enterprise connectivity needs across industries.
A guide to edge computing for investors
Edge computing is a key enabling technology for AI and GenAI applications, providing the local processing power and low-latency connectivity needed for real-time decision-making and data processing. This report looks at the trends in investments in edge computing companies – from edge data centres to platforms and applications – and the market outlook for 2025.
Network edge data centre forecast: Building the base
Our latest iteration of the Network edge data centre forecast shows that deployments are gradually bringing this market to life, despite the first early exits happening in 2024. What impact will 5G SA, data regulation and AI have on development of the network edge landscape?
Telco Cloud Deployment Tracker Q2 2024: Is AWS winning in hyperscale telco cloud?
Telco cloud deployment activity slowed down in Q2 2024 with only 20 deployments added to the tracker, eight of which were completed in earlier years. The remaining 12 included five 5G NSA cores (four already launched) and three SA cores, all of which we expect to go live by the end of 2024. In this report we analyse the prospects for 5G SA including a deep-dive on the state of deployments on the public cloud.
Telco Cloud Deployment Tracker Q1 2024: Cloud-native gathers momentum
Telco cloud activity in 2024 is showing signs of growing momentum with 72 deployments in the year to date, in contrast to 90 for the whole of 2023. Even though many of these deployments are announced but yet to complete in 2024, there are improving prospects for vRAN and open RAN, alongside a positive outlook for 5G standalone.
The utility trap: Staying on the right side of regulators
As society becomes ever more dependent on connectivity, telcos face a growing risk of being regulated like traditional utility companies. This report details how operators can avoid falling into “the utility trap” and drive growth in the next decade.
Private networks market forecast 2024 – 2030
This report presents quantitative analysis of the global demand for private networks over a 7-year period. We explore the revenue trends across the value chain and provide insights into different deployment models and technologies across 14 verticals.
Inside the cloud-native telco
Telcos are getting moving with cloud-native. We have asked executives at seven such telcos about the process and what it has meant for their organisations, skills requirements and ways of working.
Automation: Reaching full potential
The maturity of telco automations in the network OSS and BSS varies significantly. Some telcos are reporting significant headcount reductions from mature automations while others are still in the early stages of simple automation deployments. There are important steps telcos must consider if they are to reach maximum automation.
The Telco Cloud Manifesto 2.0
Co-operation with hyperscalers can reap rewards – but only if telcos complete the hard work of cloudification first.