According to ABI Research, Indoor 5G deployments at venues might be delayed by over a year when compared to outdoor 5G deployments which are expected to start in 2020. ABI Research estimates the global equipment market for in-building wireless, including active distributed antenna systems (DAS), passive DAS, and repeaters in 2025, will reach close to $10 billion. The overall system revenue in 2025, which includes services and equipment, will grow to about $19 billion. The 5G in-building wireless equipment will account for only $509 million in 2025.
As 5G nears full specification, mobile network operators will face challenges for indoor mobile coverage, including signal propagation, next-generation fronthaul/backhaul, and massive MIMO. Early indoor 5G deployments at venues will be a migration of the features of LTE-Advanced and LTE-Advanced Pro. This will happen technology by technology and frequency by frequency, avoiding costly 'rip and replace' style deployments.
With 5G standards yet to be finalized, many equipment vendors are actively researching and developing 5G equipment with a variety of approaches. These companies include Nokia with its AirFrame/AirScale Radio Access, Ericsson with its ERS, and CommScope with its OneCell. Click here to learn more about this in the In-Building Wireless in the 5G Era report.
