Virtualized Evolved Packet Core Market Size, Share, and COVID Impact Analysis, By Component (Solution and Service), By Deployment (Cloud and On-premise), By Network (5G Network and 4G Network), By End User (Telecom Operators and Enterprises) and Regional Forecast, 2024-2032

Virtual Evolved Packet Core (vEPC) is a cellular networks data and voice handling and switching framework executed through Network Functions Virtualization that virtualizes the behaviours of the Evolved Packet Core. The vEPC structure is designed in 4G LTE cellular networks and is essential to forthcoming 5G network architecture.

By virtualizing the Evolved Packet Core (EPC) functions, wireless service providers can tailor their systems to meet customers' unique needs by matching and mixing individual network components. vEPC can also reduce OPEX and CAPEX by decreasing reliance on dedicated hardware, enabling on-demand scalability, accelerating service delivery, and responding to real-time network conditions and user demands. Additionally, the vEPC framework forms a key component of future 5G network architectures implemented or planned worldwide, supporting related platforms, including MEC (Multi-Access Edge Computing). 

Furthermore, the vEPC market is growing rapidly due to increased Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile subscribers worldwide. Companies have adopted vEPC and are expected to boost the market's growth in the coming years. The market is growing rapidly due to increased Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile subscribers worldwide. Companies have adopted vEPC, expected to boost the market growth in the coming years. 

Additionally, the growth of 5G infrastructure is boosting the virtualized developed packet core market. There have been several new advancements in technology, such as 5G, in the telecommunications industry. Due to the increase in data traffic, and the deployment of similar technologies, IoT will push MNO to deploy the 5G infrastructure. Therefore, MNOs around the world are expected to implement vEPC to improve their networks and efficiently utilize radio resources to increase network capacity.

Impact of COVID-19 on the Virtualized Evolved Packet Core Market

The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected many economies around the world. Counter measures such as social distancing, lockdowns, and quarantines to combat COVID-19 are having a negative impact on many industries around the world, such as IT and telecommunications. With most employees working from home and students learning virtually, corporate virtual private network (VPN) servers have become a lifeline for organizations and schools. While many students are commuting and learning from home, tens of millions of workers have suddenly switched to remote work, causing a major shift in the use of communication networks.

 South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics expected 5G investments to slow in the second quarter of the year due to the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As further impacts of COVID-19 become apparent, domestic and international investments in 5G networks may be reduced or delayed, which could adversely affect the growth of the virtualized evolved packet core market.

Key Insights

The report will cover the following key insights:

• Micro Macro Economic Indicators


• Drivers, Restraints, Trends, and Opportunities


• Business Strategies Adopted by the Players


• Impact of COVID-19 on the Virtualized Evolved Packet Core Market


• Consolidated SWOT Analysis of Key Players

Analysis by Network

Based on the network, the market is segmented into 5G networks and 4G networks. The 5G network had the highest global market share of virtualized packet core market. 5G networks are the most popular networks for virtualized and developed packet cores. A modern VPEC architecture is an open-source environment for cloud-native networking. The cellular network has maintained its structure over the decades, and the providers have remained virtually unchanged, thus limiting the business person to the old provider architecture. From the same perspective that many of the same features are only available through the development of new network technologies, networks are now moving from legacy networks to software-defined automated 5G NSA architecture. Therefore, software-based architectures tend to offer greater automation and service adaptability. 

Regional Analysis

The global virtualized evolved packet core market has been studied across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America. Asia Pacific holds the highest market share. The region is dynamically changing in terms of the introduction of new technologies in various fields. The infrastructure growth and increased deployment of 4G and 5G networks in APAC, especially in South Korea, Japan, Australia and Singapore, present great opportunities for implementing VPEC solutions. Furthermore, a large mobile subscriber base has made businesses in the region more competitive and focused on providing better customer service. The prevalence of smartphones will greatly increase the demand for vPEC technology, which helps enterprises enhance network capacity and reduce the cost of mobile capacity.

The distribution of the virtualized evolved packet core market by region of origin is as follows:

• Asia Pacific – 49%


• North America –26%


• Europe – 16%


• The Middle East and Africa – 6%


• South America – 3%

Key Players Covered

The key players in the market include Nokia Corporation, Cisco Systems, Ericsson, Mavenir, Huawei Technologies, ZTE Corporation, Core Network Dynamics, Affirmed Networks, ExteNet Systems, Athonet and others.

Segmentation

Key Industry Developments

• February, 2023: Intel Corporation, in partnership with SK Telecom, announced the release of Intel Infrastructure Power Manager for 5G Core. It saves an average of 30% CPU power at runtime with built-in acceleration to meet critical performance, scaling and power requirements.


• June, 2021: Nokia Corporation and DISH deploy the first standalone 5G core network in the public cloud using AWS. Deploying the network on AWS streamlines network operations, installs new software and services quickly and efficiently, and enables an integration for countless innovative use cases for customers.