Fifth Generation (5G) cellular represents a gaming changing wireless infrastructure transformation for Communication Service Providers (CSP). Next generation equipment will support millimeter wave length radio frequency as well as evolution of LTE, which will be considered by many to be part of 5G heterogeneous networks. In addition, CSPs will deploy next generation equipment at Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) for Mobile Edge Computing (MEC), which will provide distributed computing and effectively transform BTS into distributed datacenters.

This research provides an in-depth assessment of both technical issues (enabling technologies, 5G standardization and research initiatives, spectrum bands, etc.) and business areas (market drivers, challenges, use cases, vertical market applications, regulatory issues, trial commitments, introduction strategies, and impact to CSPs), as well as analysis of the emerging 5G ecosystem. The report includes specific ecosystem constituent recommendations and forecasts for both 5G investments, subscriptions, and more for the period of 2017 - 2025.

This research also evaluates MEC technology, architecture and building clocks, ecosystem, market drivers, applications, solutions, and deployment challenges. The report also analyzes MEC industry initiatives, leading companies, and solutions. The report includes a market assessment and forecast for MEC users and MEC revenue globally, regionally, and within the enterprise market for years 2017 to 2021. Forecasts include MEC infrastructure (equipment, platforms, software, APIs, and services).

Key Findings:

- Large-scale commercial 5G trials to increase 5X by 2021

- MEC will enable new data-focused carrier revenue streams

- Manufacturing to be leading IoT 5G industrial application area

- MEC will be a key component to the success of 5G for new apps

- MEC enables many new cloud-based apps to leverage real-time data

- Leading 5G apps include IoT, Haptic Internet, Virtual Reality, and Robotics

Source: Research and Markets media announcement