Private LTE/5G Market to be worth $7.2 Billion in 2028: Nokia and Ericsson diverge on strategy

Market research firm SNS Telecom & IT (SNS) recently released its latest forecast for the global private network market. In this report, the company forecasts that global private LTE/5G infrastructure investment will grow at a CAGR of 22% from 2025 to exceed $7.2 billion by the end of 2028. It estimates that more than 70% of this amount, or about $5.1 billion, will be directed toward building standalone private 5G.

According to SNS, 5G adoption in industrial applications is driving market growth. About 1,300 new projects have been added to the company's database in the past 12 months, up significantly from 900 the previous year. The company also said that by 2030, investment in private networks could reach a size that accounts for a quarter of all mobile infrastructure investment.

Meanwhile, SNS notes that one notable trend in the industry is the diverging strategies of two major European vendors, Nokia and Ericsson. Specifically, Nokia is carving out its enterprise campus network-related business and focusing on large-scale, mission-critical projects such as energy, public safety, and rail. Ericsson, on the other hand, is expanding its end-to-end private 5G solutions, including small cells, Cradlepoint products, and AI operational tools, to capture broad industry demand.

Materials

• SNS says private network spending will exceed $7.2B by end of 2028
• Private LTE & 5G Network Ecosystem: 2025 - 2030 - Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies, Industry Verticals & Forecasts