Satellite-based 5G Network Market Share

North America Market Analysis

North America registered the largest satellite-based 5G network market share globally with a 36.4% revenue share in 2024. The market is poised to increase its revenue share by the end of 2037 owing to significant technological advancements in the satellite-based telecommunications sector and growing investments by key market players. The region is home to major market players such as Viasat Inc., SpaceX, Amazon, Intelsat, etc., deploying satellite constellations to leverage the future of 5G space connectivity. For instance, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is proactively seeking to make additional spectrums for 5G communications available and has made auctioning of high-band spectrum a priority. Supportive regulatory ecosystem boosts the satellite-based 5G network market’s growth in North America.

The U.S. dominates the market share in North America and is projected to increase its market share by the end of 2037. The U.S. benefits from a favorable regulatory ecosystem and rapid advances in satellite communication solutions. For instance, the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) aims to disburse over USD 20.4 billion over ten years to facilitate broadband and voice services to millions of small businesses and unserved homes across remote areas in the U.S. The first phase of the auction ended in 2020, and phase 2 aims to award USD 11.2 billion to winning bidders to ensure prioritizing higher speed networks with lower latency.

Additionally, ongoing projects to improve satellite-based communication services immensely benefit the satellite-based 5G network market’s growth. For instance, in November 2023, Lockheed Martin demonstrated the first fully regenerative advanced 5G non-terrestrial network satellite base station and plans to launch the first 5G mil payload for orbit in 2024.

Canada is projected to increase its market share in North America during the forecast period. The market benefits from government initiatives to improve telecommunications by leveraging satellite-based 5G connectivity solutions. For instance, in September 2024, the government announced an agreement with Telesat to provide them with USD 2.1 billion loan to complete and operate Lightspeed, i.e., a premier satellite network. The LEO satellite network is poised to improve 5G connectivity services across Canada, especially in rural areas.

Additionally, Canada has a vast geographical landscape with comparatively lower population density, making high-speed connectivity solutions vital for various industries in the country. The rising demand for low latency connectivity solutions in Canada is poised to continue boosting the growth of the market.

APAC Market Analysis

The Asia Pacific satellite-based 5G network market is projected to register the fastest growth in the market. The profitable growth curve in APAC is attributed to demands for connectivity solutions for a large population and to bridge the limitations of terrestrial infrastructures in bridging the data divide. China, Japan, India, and South Korea are leading the market growth of the region. Governments in APAC are increasingly investing in satellite technologies to complement terrestrial 5G rollouts. For instance, in September 2024, KT Corp of South Korea along with its satellite subsidiary KT SAT announced the integration of KOREASAT 6 with a terrestrial 5G network leveraging the 5G non-terrestrial network (NTN) standard.

China holds a significant revenue share in APAC owing to the government's push for self-reliance in space connectivity. China has been actively deploying satellites to improve communications in remote areas. For instance, in February 2024, China Mobile launched two LEO satellites to trial 5G and 6G integration to push for terrestrial and satellite network integration. Additionally, mega projects such as the Spacesail project aim to have near about 15000 satellites in space to offer connectivity solutions. The large-scale push in China to integrate terrestrial and satellite-based 5G networks is poised to generate considerable revenue during the forecast period.

India is poised to increase its revenue share in the APAC satellite-based 5G network market by the end of the forecast period. The market in India provides tremendous potential for global and regional market players owing to high population density and multiple sectors requiring low-latency connectivity solutions. For instance, in March 2022, Omnispace and Nelco announced a collaboration to deliver 5G using Omnispace’s NGSO satellite network across different segments. Additionally, government focus on digitization benefits the growth of the satellite-based 5G network market by empowering local players to establish non-terrestrial 5G connectivity solutions. For instance, in May 2020, Vestaspace Technology announced that it will launch more than 35 high speed 5G satellite constellations across India and has installed eight ground stations to facilitate the launches.