Report: US critical comms market to reach $10 billion in four years

Statistics published by advisory firm ABI Research have suggested that the American critical communications market will be worth more than $10 billion by the year 2020.

According to the document, US business accounts for more than half of the world market, with second place going to the Asia Pacific region which has a 20 per cent share. Europe, Latin America, and the Middle-East and Africa rank third, fourth and fifth respectively.

In terms of the technology, the report, rather unsurprisingly, anticipates a gradual move from TETRA, DMR and P25 to LTE-based mission critical systems. Public safety represents over half the market, followed by industrial, transportation and utility segments.

Nick Marshall, research director at ABI said: “We are seeing this evolution take place with FirstNet/AT&T in the US, and the Emergency Services Network in the United Kingdom.

“This cautious transition relies on co-existence between LTE and the TETRA, DMR and P25 technologies as first responders and other users replace legacy voice functionality. Digital communications are becoming an important part of this new market and will continue to accumulate share as time goes on.”

The full title of the report is Critical Communications: Public Safety, Industrial/Business, Transportation, Utilities, and Other Radio Systems and Networks.