Mobile Network Upgrades of up to $840bn Required Over Next Five Years to Meet Burgeoning Data Demand, Finds Juniper Research
Hampshire, UK - 14th September 2011: Juniper Research has found that mobile network operators (MNOs) must increase capacity and intelligently optimise their backhaul networks over the next five years if they are to meet the increasing demands of mobile broadband users. According to the new mobile research report, operators need to spend almost $840 billion globally over the next five years in order to address serious bottlenecks in their backhaul networks.
Making the right technology choices will be key
As a result of the rapid uptake of subscriber data services and advances in data capacity in the radio access network, operators need to rapidly reassess their mobile backhaul requirements and ensure that current or future backhaul network offerings fulfil those requirements.
The Mobile Network Backhaul report found that existing backhaul networks, based on legacy technologies, are not capable of supporting the forecasted increase in both data users and data traffic. Choosing the right technology, or the right combination of technologies, will be a key part of minimising capital costs. According to report author Nitin Bhas: "As many operators are either deploying 3G or augmenting/upgrading their network to 4G, they need to simultaneously manage the upgrade of their backhaul networks with the upgrade of their radio networks".
Microwave and Fibre to dominate
The report found that microwave and fibre will dominate the backhaul market with microwave accounting for over 60% of the global mobile backhaul capacity by 2016. Microwave backhaul will be driven by high adoption levels in markets including Latin America, Central & Eastern Europe, Indian Subcontinent and Rest of Asia Pacific.
Other findings include:
· By 2016, operator expenditure in Far East & China will reach $233 billion, driven by fibre backhaul deployment.
· In North America, Juniper envisages fibre to overtake copper as the most adopted access technology compared to traditional adoption rate of copper
· Microwave's contribution to mobile backhaul capacity in the Indian Subcontinent is set to reach almost 87% by 2016
Mobile Research
The New Mobile Network Backhaul Whitepaper is available to download from the Juniper website together with further details of the study Mobile Network Backhaul: Challenges, Opportunities & Markets 2011-2016.
Juniper Research provides research and analytical services to the global hi-tech communications sector, providing consultancy, analyst reports and industry commentary.
Jessica Hanslip
Juniper Research
+44(0)1256 830 001
jess.hanslip@juniperresearch.com
Mobile Network Upgrades of up to $840bn Required Over Next Five Years to Meet Burgeoning Data Demand, Finds Juniper Research
Join the Juniper Research press list
Get our latest updates on technology industry trends and market forecasts before anyone else.
For further details contact:
Sam Smith, Press Relations
Latest research, whitepapers & press releases
-
ReportSeptember 2025Fintech & Payments
Instant Payments Market: 2025-2030
Juniper Research’s Instant Payments research suite provides a wide-ranging and strategic analysis of this market; enabling stakeholders - from banks, infrastructure providers, regulators, and businesses - to understand future growth, key trends, and the competitive environment.
VIEW -
ReportSeptember 2025Fintech & Payments
Anti-money Laundering Systems Market: 2025-2030
Our AML Systems research suite provides a detailed and insightful analysis of this evolving market; enabling stakeholders from financial institutions, law enforcement agencies, regulatory bodies and technology vendors to understand future growth, key trends, and the competitive environment.
VIEW -
ReportSeptember 2025Fintech & Payments
A2A Payments Market: 2025-2030
Our A2A Payments research suite provides detailed analysis of this rapidly changing market; enabling A2A payments service providers to gain an understanding of key payment trends and challenges, potential growth opportunities, and the competitive environment.
VIEW -
ReportSeptember 2025Telecoms & Connectivity
Mobile Messaging Fraud Prevention Market: 2025-2030
Our Mobile Messaging Fraud Prevention research suite provides a detailed and insightful analysis of a market set for significant disruption over the next five years. It enables stakeholders from mobile operators, enterprises, and mobile messaging fraud prevention vendors to understand how the market for mobile messaging fraud will evolve, as well as the impact of AI, RCS, and the evolving competitive environment.
VIEW -
ReportSeptember 2025Sustainability & Smart Cities
Smart Grid Market: 2025-2030
Our cutting-edge Smart Grid research suite provides a comprehensive view of a market at the forefront of the global energy transition. It examines the major disruptions transforming the sector, from the integration of distributed energy resources and the rise of virtual power plants to the growing role of AI-driven intelligence and the mounting need for robust cyber security and compliance.
VIEW -
ReportSeptember 2025Fintech & Payments
eCommerce Payments Market: 2025-2030
Juniper Research’s eCommerce Payments research suite provides a comprehensive and insightful analysis of this market; enabling stakeholders, from eCommerce payment platform providers to merchants and payment service providers, to understand future growth, key trends, and the competitive environment.
VIEW
-
WhitepaperSeptember 2025Fintech & Payments
Core Banking Transformation - A Strategic Conversation with SAP Fioneer
Core banking transformation is no longer optional, as regulatory change, rising compliance costs, and shifting customer expectations make legacy systems unsustainable. Anna Koritz, Global Head of Transaction Banking at SAP Fioneer, shares how banks can overcome cultural and technical hurdles and why SAP Fioneer’s modular, cloud-ready approach enables confident modernisation.
VIEW -
WhitepaperSeptember 2025Fintech & Payments
From Detection to Prevention: The Next Era of Anti-money Laundering
Our complimentary whitepaper, From Detection to Prevention: The Next Era of Anti-money Laundering, examines the state of the AML systems market; considering the impact that a changing regulatory environment and a growing number of use cases is having on the market. Additionally, it includes a forecast summary of the total value of the AML systems market in 2030.
VIEW -
WhitepaperSeptember 2025Fintech & Payments
Ascending-to-Ailing: The Deceleration of A2A Adoption
Our complimentary whitepaper, Ascending-to-Ailing: The Deceleration of A2A Adoption, examines the state of the A2A payments market; considering the impact of this payment method and how it is shaping the modern payments landscape through lower fees and enriched user experience.
VIEW -
WhitepaperSeptember 2025Telecoms & Connectivity
RCS Fraud: Emerging Threats in Next-gen Messaging
Our complimentary whitepaper, RCS Fraud: Emerging Threats in Next-gen Messaging, examines the future of the messaging fraud prevention market, with a particular focus on the latest trends within RCS Business Messaging (RBM). Additionally, it includes a forecast summary of the total cost of fraud over RBM to subscribers in 2030.
VIEW -
WhitepaperSeptember 2025
Decentralising the Smart Grid: Opportunities & Challenges
Our complimentary whitepaper, Decentralising the Smart Grid: Opportunities & Challenges, explores how distributed energy resources, renewable integration, and virtual power plants are reshaping grid management.
VIEW -
WhitepaperSeptember 2025Fintech & Payments
Going Glocal ~ Why Local Payment Methods Are Driving eCommerce
Our complimentary whitepaper, Going Glocal ~ Why Local Payment Methods Are Driving eCommerce, assesses how local payment methods are driving the increasing accessibility to eCommerce, and challenges to eCommerce growth.
VIEW
-
Fintech & Payments
AML Systems Market to Surpass $75 Billion by 2030 Globally, With LexisNexis Risk Solutions, Oracle, and Experian Leading the Defence
September 2025 -
Fintech & Payments
B2B Payments to Hit $224 Trillion by 2030 Globally, Driven by Emerging Market Expansion
September 2025 -
Fintech & Payments
A2A Transaction Value to Reach $195 Trillion in 2030 Globally, Driven by Advanced Value-added Services
September 2025 -
Telecoms & Connectivity
ReveNet: Operators Must Act to Restore Trust & Transparency to $55bn A2P SMS Ecosystem
September 2025 -
Telecoms & Connectivity
RCS Business Messaging Fraud to Cost Mobile Subscribers $4.3 Billion Globally Over the Next 5 Years
September 2025 -
Sustainability & Smart Cities
Smart Grids to Support 43% of Global Electricity Supply by 2030, Driven by Virtual Power Plants
September 2025