5G SA 코어, SDM, 정책 및 과금 보고서 : 2025년 6월

5G rollouts started with the non-standalone (NSA) mode and are now gradually migrating to SA to unleash a plethora of use cases. 5G SA goes far beyond mobile and will eventually become the network that bridges all networks together, with the new sophisticated service-based architecture (5G SBA) designed by the 3GPP. Although many of the network functions (NFs) featured in the 5G SBA come from existing ones currently active in 2G/3G and 4G networks, novel functions such as the network slice selection function (NSSF) are being introduced. Based on a communications service provider (CSP) survey and discussions with many vendors, this report analyzes several of the 5G Core SBA functions and provides global and regional market sizes and forecasts by focusing on the NFs implemented by CSPs (e.g., UDM, UDR, AUSF, NRF, NEF and NSSF, PCF, BSF, CHF) to enable use cases beyond enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), fixed wireless access (FWA), and private 5G.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT

KEY TAKEAWAYS: FINALLY, THE MIGRATION TO 5G SA IS MATERIALIZING

DRIVEN BY FWA, SMARTPHONE PLANS AND VOICE OVER NR, THE MIGRATION TO 5G SA IS TAKING OFF

• 2024 SAW THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF 5G SA COMMERCIAL LAUNCHES SO FAR
  • 68 of those 5G SA networks were launched for FWA services
  • The rising availability of more 5G SA-capable devices is fueling 5G SA
  • Network slicing, the true power of 5G SA, is coming to life
  • 5G SA network slicing for military is emerging as the most unlikely use case
• CONSEQUENTLY, THE GLOBAL 5G SA CORE, 5G DATA MANAGEMENT AND 5G POLICY & CHARGING MARKET GREW 12% IN 2024
  • The single vendor approach remains predominant for each domain
  • Telenor is the only CSP in the world to have adopted a multi-vendor 5G SA core platform but has yet to launch it commercially
  • Two thirds of total 5G SA Core deployments are cloud-based, the rest are on prem appliances
  • For data sovereignty reasons, CSPs favor the private cloud approach
  • As concerns outnumber benefits, the public cloud approach outlook remains cloudy
  • Telefonica O2 migrated both IT and telecom workloads, including the core network, to public cloud infrastructure
• WHILE CHINA SUSTAINS HUAWEI'S SALES, ERICSSON AND NOKIA COMMAND THE LION'S SHARE OF THE GLOBAL 5G SA FOOTPRINT
  • While Ericsson and Nokia trail Huawei's sales, they stay #2 and #3, respectively and combined, command 63% of the global 5G SA footrpint
  • Nokia commands 33% of the global commercial 5G SA footprint
  • A few swaps that occurred last year and Nokia's cloud strategy propelled the finnish vendor to the top spot
  • Ericsson is #2 for 5G SA global commercial footprint
  • Finally, ZTE comes in fourth for total sales and second for 5G SA Core sales market share
• MEANWHILE, NAVIGATING THE COMPLEXITIES OF EVOLVING NETWORK ARCHITECTURES, DATA MANAGEMENT, AND POLICY FRAMEWORKS REMAINS CHALLENGING

ALL THIS MEANS THAT THE 5G SA MARKET IS POISED FOR A SOLID DOUBLE-DIGITS GROWTH THROUGH 2030

• OUR FORECAST MODEL FACTORS IN THE 559 CELLULAR NETWORKS IN THE WORLD THAT HAVE YET TO BE MIGRATED TO 5G SA
• 5G SA CORE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE THE BULK OF SALES THROUGH 2030
• ASIA PACIFIC WILL BE THE LARGEST MARKET THROUGHOUT THE FORECAST PERIOD
• FWA WILL REMAIN THE CHIEF USE CASE DRIVER...
  • FWA in private 5G networks is also gaining momentum
• ...WHILE THE RISE OF OPEN APIS AND AN EXPANDING 5G SA DEVICE ECOSYSTEM ARE CHIEF ENABLERS
  • Launched at MWC 2023, the GSMA Open Gateway initiative set out to deliver universal network API access for developers
• WE'RE STILL FAR FROM ATTACKING THE LONG TAIL OF 5G USE CASES BUT SLOWLY GETTING THERE
  • While operating in region 1 (R1), we're slowly moving to R3 and R4
  • Good news, some specific use cases are emerging

A BROAD VENDOR ECOSYSTEM SUPPORTS THE MULTI-DOMAIN NATURE OF 5G SA

• TRADITIONAL TELECOM NETWORK EQUIPMENT VENDORS SEE 5G AS BUSINESS AS USUAL...
  • Ericsson added compact packet core to its portfolio and teamed up with Google to target private 5G and FWA
  • Huawei's 5.5G cloud-native core has evolved to AI Core
  • NEC and Rakuten Mobile pioneered a "made in Japan" 5G core, which then was selected by DOCOMO
  • Nokia looks beyond connectivity with a core for everything
  • Samsung launched a "made in Korea" 5G core back in 2017
  • ZTE introduced its AIR Core platform at MWC25
• ...SO DO MOBILE CORE NETWORK SPECIALISTS CISCO AND MAVENIR
  • Cisco's strategy for 5G core is a pure software play with an eye on private 5G wireless networks
  • Mavenir brings more than 15 years of core networks expertise and is challenging the traditional equipment vendors
• THE LIST OF SDM SPECIALISTS IS SHORT BUT SOLID
  • Enea is a 56-year-old Swedish company that has data storage and operating systems in its DNA
  • Oracle fires all cylinders to help telcos monetize 5G
• BY CONTRAST, THE LIST OF PCRF VENDORS IS VERY LONG
  • Amdocs has been leading the BSS market for more than a decade