5G: Deployment of small cells to touch 13 million by 2027 predicts ABI Report

The report added that around 2025, when network capacity on the C-band should run out in the absence of new spectrum or small cell densification, there will be a large-scale deployment of 5G small cells. For their private networks, businesses and industry sectors have already started deploying 5G tiny cells.

According to a report by ABI Research, the number of outdoor 5G small cell deployments are expected to reach 13 million by 2027 as cellular operators around the world look to upgrade their network capacity in the face of a surge in 5G mobile data traffic, which is anticipated to hit 1676 exabytes (EB) in 2026 and grow at a rate of 63% compounded annually.

As per the company, the most practicable strategy is the dense deployment of 5G small cells, at a high cost as well, because there are a finite amount of new macro cell locations and 5G spectrums available.

ABI Research states that, the larger variety of 5G deployment scenarios forces companies to offer comprehensive solutions to meet every need. It added that around 2025, when network capacity on the C-band should run out in the absence of new spectrum or small cell densification, there will be a large-scale deployment of 5G small cells. For their private networks, businesses and industry sectors have already started deploying 5G tiny cells.

Massive MIMO (mMIMO), macro cells have currently met the demands for 5G capacity, however these may not be sufficient, making small cells essential. The research company also predicts that in 2028, the deployment of 5G tiny cells would surpass that of 4G.

The backhaul set up for macro cells is used by 5G small cells. Liu advised mobile network operators to start installing 5G small cells in places where backhaul has already been set up. 5G tiny cells and mega cells may co-exist, and self organizing networks reduce the dangers posed by cell interference. As an alternative, Liu suggested that cellular operators use several frequency bands on both small and large cells.

“Compared to the previous generation small cells, 5G small cells face more challenges in design and performances. 5G small cells need to be smaller and lighter while supporting larger bandwidths such as 100 MHz and 200 MHz," said Fei Liu, 5G & Mobile Network Infrastructure Industry Analyst at ABI Research.“5G small cells complement macro cells, boosting network capacity and extending coverage in dense areas where signals are weak or unavailable," she added.