Wireless Telecommunications Equipment Manufacturing Industry Profile

Companies in this industry produce radio and television broadcast and wireless communications equipment. Major companies include Apple and Cisco (both based in the US); as well as Ericsson (Sweden); Huawei, Oppo, Xiaomi, and ZTE (China); Nokia (Finland); and Samsung (South Korea).

Worldwide, the number of smartphone mobile network subscriptions is forecast to grow about $8 billion by 2028. China, India, and the US are among the highest number of smartphone mobile network subscriptions, according to Statista.

The US wireless telecommunications equipment manufacturing industry includes about 700 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of about $25 billion.

The industry is part of the Telecommunications Equipment Manufacturing sector, which is covered further in a separate industry profile.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Demand is driven by evolving networking technology that enables new applications and services. The profitability of individual companies depends on efficient operations and bringing new products to market quickly. Large companies enjoy economies of scale in purchasing raw materials, components, and manufacturing equipment. Smaller companies can compete effectively by specializing in niche products or components. The US industry is highly concentrated: the 50 largest companies account for about 90% of revenue.

Competitive Advantages:

Specialization - Smaller companies compete with industry leaders by developing equipment for new or emerging technologies. For example, the proliferation of internet-connected devices (commonly referred to as the internet of things, or IoT) is creating opportunities for startups ...