Cloud Radio Access Network Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2025 - 2030)

The Cloud Radio Access Network (C-RAN) Market Report is Segmented by Component (Solution and Services), Network Type (5G, 4G, LTE, 3G ), Deployment Model (Centralised RAN [C-RAN], Virtualised RAN [vRAN], Open RAN [O-RAN], and Hybrid Cloud RAN), End User (Mobile Network Operators, Enterprises, Government and Public-Safety, and Neutral Host/TowerCos) and Geography. The Market Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Value (USD).

Cloud Radio Access Network Market Size and Share

Image © Mordor Intelligence. Reuse requires attribution under CC BY 4.0.

Compare market size and growth of Cloud Radio Access Network Market with other markets in Technology, Media and Telecom Industry

Cloud Radio Access Network Market Analysis by Mordor Intelligence

The Cloud Radio Access Network Market size is estimated at USD 15.5 billion in 2025, and is expected to reach USD 35.31 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 17.60% during the forecast period (2025-2030).

Rapid 5G rollouts, the push for centralized baseband processing, and mounting pressure to trim network operating costs keep demand high. Operators are mapping out multi-layer coverage strategies in dense urban clusters, where pooling resources in the cloud has begun lifting cell-site throughput and spectrum utilization. Commercial proofs in the United States, Japan, and leading European capitals also indicate that AI-assisted scheduling can cut power draw across active radios, supporting sustainability targets alongside network modernization. Competition is intensifying as incumbent vendors defend their share against software-centric entrants, prompting a wave of partnerships that combine radio, compute, and silicon expertise to accelerate product road maps. While the cloud radio access network market benefits from supportive policy incentives, it still faces headwinds linked to spectrum release timetables and fronthaul bottlenecks that vary sharply by country.

Key Report Takeaways

  • By component, Solutions commanded 73% of the cloud radio access network market share in 2024, whereas Services are on track for the fastest 18.4% CAGR through 2030.
  • By network type, 5G carried 61% revenue share in 2024; Open RAN is projected to expand at a 27% CAGR, topping segment growth.
  • By deployment model, Centralised RAN held 54% of the cloud radio access network market size in 2024, while Open RAN leads future growth at 27% CAGR.
  • By end user, Mobile Network Operators accounted for 67% share in 2024, yet Enterprise networks are set to rise at a 19.2% CAGR.
  • By geography, Asia Pacific captured 39% of the cloud radio access network market in 2024 and also shows the steepest 23.1% CAGR to 2030.

Segment Analysis

By Component: Services Unlock Value in Complex Deployments

The cloud radio access network market size derived from Solutions hit USD 11.3 billion in 2024, equal to 73% of segment revenue. Yet the Services market is expanding faster at an 18.4% CAGR as multi-vendor environments become the norm. Early greenfield installations chiefly required hardware and virtualized baseband licenses, but current brownfield upgrades demand integration, network optimization, and lifecycle support. Operators in Europe are signing multi-year managed-service contracts that bundle AI-driven performance analytics with DevOps enablement, letting internal teams prioritise new-service design. Consulting teams now guide spectrum-refarming, functional-split selection, and migration sequencing, roles critical for incumbent carriers balancing legacy 4G traffic and emerging private 5G use cases. Hardware providers respond by embedding open interfaces and reference automation workflows, blurring the line between product and professional service. In turn, this mix pushes the Services slice to account for a deeper share of the cloud radio access network market revenue pool as 2030 approaches.

A steady flow of innovation keeps the Solutions business vibrant. Silicon majors introduced integrated acceleration for beamforming and forward-error correction, lifting baseband capacity per rack unit by over 2× compared with 2023 blades. Radio suppliers complement these gains with lightweight Massive MIMO arrays tailored for rooftop and indoor settings. Such advancements compress the total cost of ownership while widening the addressable customer base, supporting consistent though moderate revenue growth on the Solutions side. The net result is a balanced landscape where software, silicon, and services each reinforce the transition to centrally orchestrated radio layers, widening adoption across incumbent and enterprise segments of the cloud radio access network market.

Image © Mordor Intelligence. Reuse requires attribution under CC BY 4.0.

By Network Type: 5G Prevails as Open RAN Gains Ground

In 2024, the 5G tier commanded 61% of the overall cloud radio access network market revenue as carriers devoted capital to harness mid-band spectrum. Operators pivoted quickly to standalone architectures, which permit slicing and ultra-low-latency pipelines critical for Industry 4.0 workloads. Virtualized baseband pools make it feasible to run non-standalone 5G, LTE, and NR on common servers, letting carriers phase out 3G in favor of capacity upgrades. While 4G LTE still generates meaningful returns, its share declines each year as data-heavy consumer usage gravitates toward 5G bundles with subsidized devices.

Open RAN exhibits the fastest trajectory at a 27% CAGR through 2030, buoyed by high-profile commitments from North American and Asian tier-ones keen to diversify supply chains. The model’s open interfaces encourage best-of-breed combinations, but integration overhead remains considerable. Nevertheless, pilot results from live networks in Dallas and Seoul show that multi-vendor Massive MIMO stacks can reach spectral-efficiency parity with monolithic systems when orchestrated from a unified cloud platform. Regulatory support, such as grant programs from the United States government, offers added momentum. Collectively, these forces position Open RAN as a key disruptor, widening supplier diversity while intensifying competitive dynamics across the cloud radio access network market.

By Deployment Model: Centralised RAN Sets Baseline, Open RAN Accelerates

Centralised RAN retained 54% share of the cloud radio access network market size in 2024, reflecting its maturity and ease of integration with existing transport topologies. Many operators adopt staged migration: fibre-rich urban clusters shift first, followed by suburban cells as backhaul upgrades complete. Open RAN deployment, however, brings a fresh cost curve. AT&T’s multiyear programme aims to carry 70% of traffic over open-capable platforms by 2026, anticipating both capital and operating cost relief. Early calculations from carriers in Europe suggest equipment savings above 40% versus proprietary stacks when volume thresholds are met.

Virtualized RAN on commercial off-the-shelf servers runs in parallel, supporting brownfield adaptations where complete openness is not yet feasible. Hybrid cloud RAN appears where fibre or power limits require local processing, blending edge-cloud instances with metro hubs. Orange publicly supports such a flexible stance, citing the need to balance spectrum reform with legacy site contracts. The result is a deployment mosaic that varies by geography, with greenfield entrants like Rakuten Mobile embracing full Open RAN, and incumbents layering virtualisation atop existing macro grids. This pluralism creates sustained spending opportunities along the whole value chain inside the cloud radio access network market.

Cloud Radio Access Network Market
Image © Mordor Intelligence. Reuse requires attribution under CC BY 4.0.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By End User: Enterprises Energize Demand Beyond Telcos

Mobile Network Operators generated 67% of the cloud radio access network market revenue in 2024, but private-wireless expansion lifts enterprise wallet-share quickly. Manufacturers, hospitals, and logistics hubs deploy on-premises 5G cores seated next to cloud RAN nodes to guarantee deterministic performance. These customers value indoor coverage, data sovereignty, and low-latency control loops that Wi-Fi cannot match. With vertical-specific applications emerging, solution providers add pre-integrated security gateways and network-slice templates, reducing setup time and easing IT integration.

Government and public-safety agencies pursue resilient campus coverage, often in partnership with neutral-host tower companies that pool capex across multiple tenant networks. TowerCos views cloud RAN as a lever to host multi-operator traffic without duplicating electronics, widening their services portfolio. This shared-infra model also accelerates rural coverage, a policy priority in many emerging economies. Collectively, these patterns lift the Enterprise CAGR to 19.2%, ensuring that non-telco clients become a central growth pillar for the cloud radio access network market while reinforcing innovation feedback loops into vendor road maps.

Geography Analysis

Asia Pacific dominates the cloud radio access network market with 39% revenue share in 2024 and leads in growth with a 23.1% CAGR. Aggressive 5G rollouts in China, Japan, and South Korea rely on high-density small-cell grids linked to large regional data centres. Operators in Shenzhen and Seoul already operate commercial open-interface clusters in core business districts, showcasing real-time spectrum pooling for video streaming during peak festivals. Governments provide supportive policy frameworks, such as spectrum fee rebates for virtualisation investments. Vendor ecosystems flourish around open testbeds, and joint ventures like the OREX initiative target export opportunities, cementing the region’s leadership.

North America ranks second in terms of revenue. United States carriers earmarked multibillion-dollar budgets to swap legacy hardware for open-capable radios by 2026. Federal grants under the CHIPS and Science Act co-fund silicon research that empowers AI-based scheduling engines, giving domestic supply chains greater resilience. Early deployments in Las Vegas and Seattle prove that GPU-accelerated cloud nodes can meet stringent millisecond-level latency targets for XR gaming and industrial automation. Canadian operator collaborations with Finnish and Korean vendors extend the regional innovation sphere, highlighting cross-border technology exchange that supports the wider cloud radio access network market.

Europe accelerates adoption through a blend of regulatory mandates and competitive necessity. Operators in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Spain rolled out the first commercial 5G Open RAN macro sites, supported by public test labs that certify interoperability among radios, basebands, and management systems. The European Union dedicates funding tranches to 5G and 6G network R&D, which bolsters an academic–industry pipeline for RAN software talent. Despite lagging standalone 5G coverage, incumbents pursue fast-track plans to cloudify their radio layers, citing lower total cost of ownership and faster service innovation as key motivators. Ongoing infrastructure programs upgrade fibre backbones through rural corridors, which will remove a historic bottleneck and further expand the cloud radio access network market footprint across the region.

Market Analysis of C-RAN Market: Forecasted Growth Rate by Region
Image © Mordor Intelligence. Reuse requires attribution under CC BY 4.0.

Competitive Landscape

The cloud radio access network market shows moderate concentration, with the top five suppliers controlling a majority share outside China. Huawei secures leadership through scale deployments with domestic carriers, reinforcing its stronghold in emerging markets. Ericsson claims a roughly 37% share outside China, winning contracts with tier-one operators in North America and Europe that favour open-interface readiness. Nokia follows at close distance, leveraging broad service portfolios and recent optical-network acquisitions to integrate transport and radio solutions into cohesive packages.

Samsung rises as a strategic challenger by combining in-house silicon with Massive MIMO radios optimized for Open RAN. Its presence in the United States greenfield builds signals broader acceptance of diversifying supply chains. Software innovators Mavenir and Rakuten Symphony target disaggregation layers where value shifts towards orchestration and automation. They differentiate through cloud-native microservices and marketplace models that simplify the onboarding of third-party apps. Partnerships proliferate chipset vendors team with server OEMs, radio makers team with public cloud hyperscalers, and system integrators providing turnkey blueprints for enterprise verticals. AI sits at the heart of many new offers, where inference engines predict traffic loads and adjust power states. The result is a rich field of rivalry, cooperation, and co-opetition that propels ongoing advancement across the cloud radio access network market.

Cloud Radio Access Network Industry Leaders

  1. Cisco System Inc.

  2. Nokia Corporation

  3. Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.

  4. Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson

  5. Intel Corporation

  6. *Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order
Cloud Radio Access Network Market
Image © Mordor Intelligence. Reuse requires attribution under CC BY 4.0.
Need More Details on Market Players and Competitors?
Download PDF

Recent Industry Developments

  • May 2025: Ericsson and Telstra unveiled the AIR 3284, the first 5G triple-band FDD Massive MIMO radio aimed at boosting downlink and uplink capacity for Telstra’s nationwide modernization.
  • April 2025: Nokia and partners launched an initiative to accelerate AI-powered RAN, focusing on network efficiency gains and performance improvements.
  • March 2025: SoftBank Corp. and Ericsson formed a strategic partnership to enhance cloud RAN capabilities and improve network efficiency.
  • March 2025: O2 Telefónica activated its first commercial 5G standalone Cloud RAN site in Offenbach, Germany, using Ericsson technology.

Table of Contents for Cloud Radio Access Network Industry Report

1. INTRODUCTION

  • 1.1 Study Assumptions and Market Definition
  • 1.2 Scope of the Study

2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

4. MARKET LANDSCAPE

  • 4.1 Market Overview
  • 4.2 Market Drivers
    • 4.2.1 Rapid 5G rollout and densification
    • 4.2.2 CAPEX-OPEX savings via centralized baseband
    • 4.2.3 Exponential mobile-data growth
    • 4.2.4 Network virtualization and SDN demand
    • 4.2.5 AI-driven RAN optimisation adoption
    • 4.2.6 Energy-efficiency regulations push cloud RAN
  • 4.3 Market Restraints
    • 4.3.1 Spectrum scarcity and regulatory limits
    • 4.3.2 Limited fronthaul fibre and latency challenges
    • 4.3.3 Security and privacy risks in centralised architecture
    • 4.3.4 Uncertain ROI in emerging markets
  • 4.4 Value/Supply-Chain Analysis
  • 4.5 Regulatory Landscape
  • 4.6 Technological Outlook
  • 4.7 Porter's Five Forces Analysis
    • 4.7.1 Threat of New Entrants
    • 4.7.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers
    • 4.7.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers
    • 4.7.4 Threat of Substitute Products
    • 4.7.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry
  • 4.8 Investment Analysis

5. MARKET SIZE AND GROWTH FORECASTS (VALUE)

  • 5.1 By Component
    • 5.1.1 Solution
    • 5.1.2 Services
    • 5.1.2.1 Professional
    • 5.1.2.2 Managed
  • 5.2 By Network Type
    • 5.2.1 5G
    • 5.2.2 4G
    • 5.2.3 LTE
    • 5.2.4 3G (EDGE)
  • 5.3 By Deployment Model
    • 5.3.1 Centralised RAN (C-RAN)
    • 5.3.2 Virtualised RAN (vRAN)
    • 5.3.3 Open RAN (O-RAN)
    • 5.3.4 Hybrid Cloud RAN
  • 5.4 By End User
    • 5.4.1 Mobile Network Operators
    • 5.4.2 Enterprises
    • 5.4.3 Government and Public-Safety
    • 5.4.4 Neutral Host/TowerCos
  • 5.5 By Geography
    • 5.5.1 North America
    • 5.5.1.1 United States
    • 5.5.1.2 Canada
    • 5.5.2 Europe
    • 5.5.2.1 United Kingdom
    • 5.5.2.2 Germany
    • 5.5.2.3 France
    • 5.5.2.4 Rest of Europe
    • 5.5.3 Asia-Pacific
    • 5.5.3.1 China
    • 5.5.3.2 Japan
    • 5.5.3.3 South Korea
    • 5.5.3.4 India
    • 5.5.3.5 Rest of Asia-Pacific
    • 5.5.4 South America
    • 5.5.4.1 Brazil
    • 5.5.4.2 Rest of South America
    • 5.5.5 Middle East and Africa
    • 5.5.5.1 GCC
    • 5.5.5.2 South Africa
    • 5.5.5.3 Turkey
    • 5.5.5.4 Rest of Middle East and Africa

6. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

  • 6.1 Market Concentration
  • 6.2 Strategic Moves
  • 6.3 Market Share Analysis
  • 6.4 Company Profiles (includes Global level Overview, Market level overview, Core Segments, Financials as available, Strategic Information, Market Rank/Share for key companies, Products and Services, and Recent Developments)
    • 6.4.1 Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.
    • 6.4.2 Nokia Corporation
    • 6.4.3 Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
    • 6.4.4 Cisco Systems Inc.
    • 6.4.5 Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
    • 6.4.6 ZTE Corporation
    • 6.4.7 Intel Corporation
    • 6.4.8 Fujitsu Limited
    • 6.4.9 NEC Corporation
    • 6.4.10 Mavenir Systems Inc.
    • 6.4.11 Parallel Wireless Inc.
    • 6.4.12 Rakuten Symphony
    • 6.4.13 Altiostar (Rakuten)
    • 6.4.14 CommScope Holding Co. Inc.
    • 6.4.15 Casa Systems Inc.
    • 6.4.16 Airspan Networks Inc.
    • 6.4.17 Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)

7. MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE OUTLOOK

  • 7.1 White-space and unmet-need assessment
You Can Purchase Parts Of This Report. Check Out Prices For Specific Sections
Get Price Break-up Now

Global Cloud Radio Access Network Market Report Scope

The C-RAN market is defined based on the revenues generated from the solutions and services used in various network types across the globe. The analysis is based on the market insights captured through secondary research and the primaries. The market also covers the major factors impacting its growth in terms of drivers and restraints.

The cloud radio access network (C-RAN) market is segmented by components (solution, service [professional, managed], network type (5G, 4G, LTE, 3G (EDGE)) and geography (North America (United States, Canada), Europe (United Kingdom, Germany, Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Rest of Asia-Pacific), Latin America, and Middle East and Africa)). The market sizes and forecasts regarding value (USD) for all the above segments are provided.

By Component Solution
Services Professional
Managed
By Network Type 5G
4G
LTE
3G (EDGE)
By Deployment Model Centralised RAN (C-RAN)
Virtualised RAN (vRAN)
Open RAN (O-RAN)
Hybrid Cloud RAN
By End User Mobile Network Operators
Enterprises
Government and Public-Safety
Neutral Host/TowerCos
By Geography North America United States
Canada
Europe United Kingdom
Germany
France
Rest of Europe
Asia-Pacific China
Japan
South Korea
India
Rest of Asia-Pacific
South America Brazil
Rest of South America
Middle East and Africa GCC
South Africa
Turkey
Rest of Middle East and Africa
By Component
Solution
Services Professional
Managed
By Network Type
5G
4G
LTE
3G (EDGE)
By Deployment Model
Centralised RAN (C-RAN)
Virtualised RAN (vRAN)
Open RAN (O-RAN)
Hybrid Cloud RAN
By End User
Mobile Network Operators
Enterprises
Government and Public-Safety
Neutral Host/TowerCos
By Geography
North America United States
Canada
Europe United Kingdom
Germany
France
Rest of Europe
Asia-Pacific China
Japan
South Korea
India
Rest of Asia-Pacific
South America Brazil
Rest of South America
Middle East and Africa GCC
South Africa
Turkey
Rest of Middle East and Africa
Need A Different Region or Segment?
Customize Now

Key Questions Answered in the Report

What is the current size of the cloud radio access network market in 2025?

The market stands at USD 15.5 billion in 2025.

What compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is projected for the cloud radio access network market through 2030?

Analysts forecast a 17.6% CAGR for 2025-2030.

Which region leads the cloud radio access network market, and how fast is it growing?

Asia Pacific holds 39% of 2024 revenue and is expanding at a 23.1% CAGR to 2030.

Which network type is expected to grow the fastest within cloud RAN deployments?

Open RAN shows the highest momentum with a 27% CAGR projected for 2025-2030.

How much cost relief can operators achieve by adopting cloud RAN architectures?

Independent studies indicate up to 49% first-year CAPEX savings and 31% cumulative OPEX savings over five years versus traditional distributed RAN.

What are the chief hurdles that could slow cloud RAN rollouts?

Spectrum scarcity, regulatory delays, limited fronthaul fiber, and strict latency requirements remain the primary obstacles.