The global mobile market is currently experiencing a significant contraction in Radio Access Network (RAN) revenues, with industry experts suggesting that this downturn could mark the fastest rate of decline ever witnessed in this sector. Initial excitement surrounding RAN has now given way to challenging market conditions, as evidenced by recent figures from Dell’Oro Group.
The expansion phase of RAN, which had seen an intense growth trajectory from 2017 to 2022, has now faded into the past. RAN revenues managed to stabilize in the previous year, maintaining this stability into the first quarter of 2023. However, market conditions took a sharp turn for the worse in the second quarter, leading to a decline in RAN revenues at a pace not seen in almost seven years. While industry analysts were anticipating a decline, the magnitude of this reversal has taken many by surprise.
