Open-RAN Investment to Hit $39 Billion by 2029

A recent study by Juniper Research projects that annual investments in Open Radio Access Networks (O-RAN) will surge from $2 billion in 2024 to $11 billion by 2029. This rise in spending, totaling nearly $40 billion globally, is fueled by the growing need to handle increasing cellular data and connections.

O-RAN, a versatile version of Radio Access Networks (RAN), supports multi-vendor deployments and enhances AI RAN capabilities. The technology is critical for managing the anticipated doubling of cellular data usage in the next four years, driven by the expansion of 5G broadband and IoT applications.

Juniper’s report, *Global Operator O-RAN Strategies, 2024-2029*, highlights AI-based traffic steering as a key benefit of O-RAN. This feature allows operators to optimize network efficiency by automating the routing of traffic, ensuring applications that require low latency are prioritized.

Alex Webb, a report author, emphasizes the necessity of leveraging AI-based traffic steering for improved connectivity and network performance. The technology ensures that traffic is directed to base stations with the lowest latency, enhancing the overall user experience.

For more insights, the full report is available for free download.