MEC Market Forecast Increases to 22 Percent CAGR as Demand for Low-Latency AI Applications Grows

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Jan. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a recently published report from Dell'Oro Group, the trusted source for market information on the telecommunications, security, networks, and data center industries, the global 5G Mobile Core Network (MCN) market 5-year forecast has been revised upward to 12 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2025 to 2030, as the 5G SA market reaches an inflection point. Likewise, the Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) market forecast has been raised to 22 percent CAGR as demand for lower-latency AI applications continues to grow.

"The key inflection point is the acceleration in 5G SA network subscriber growth as these networks mature and expand coverage to more cities, including rural and indoor areas, encouraging more 4G subscribers to upgrade," said Dave Bolan, Research Director at Dell'Oro Group. "Additionally, the introduction of Reduced Capability (RedCap) 5G SA chips for smartwatches and lower-cost 5G SA IoT devices is making 5G SA more appealing to consumers and enterprises, especially for private networks compared to LTE.  Also, new Mobile Network Operators are preparing to launch more 5G SA networks."

"Other factors include the launch of 5G-Advanced by a dozen MNOs, introducing new capabilities, including dynamic network slicing, which will drive new consumer and enterprise low-latency applications, also driving demand for more MEC nodes throughout MNOs' networks and on-premises for enterprises. The increasing adoption of Agnetic AI will increase the demand for more MCN capacity and MEC nodes, fueling growth," Bolan added.

Additional highlights from Mobile Core Network and Multi-access Edge Computing 5-Year Forecast January 2026 Report include:

• The modernization of IMS Core to a cloud-native architecture, the retirement of more 3G networks, and 5G Voice over New Radio (VoNR) with new immersive and interactive calling features are accelerating growth.
• The rank order of the Regions for the 5G MCN market based on the 5-year cumulative revenue is as follows: Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Asia Pacific excluding China, China, North America, and Caribbean and Latin America (CALA).
• The 4G MCN market will continue to decline. However, 4G will be significant in the Middle East and Africa (MEA), parts of Southeast Asia, and CALA, accounting for the vast majority of the market.

About the Report
The Dell'Oro Group Mobile Core Network & Multi-Access Edge Computing Quarterly Report offers complete, in-depth coverage of the market with tables covering manufacturers' revenue, shipments, and average selling prices for Traditional Packet Core, Evolved Packet Core, 5G Packet Core, Policy, Subscriber Data Management, Signaling, Circuit Switched Core, and IMS Core by geographic regions. To purchase this report, please contact us at dgsales@delloro.com.

About Dell'Oro Group
Dell'Oro Group is a market research firm that specializes in strategic competitive analysis in the telecommunications, security, enterprise networks, and data center infrastructure markets.  Our firm provides in-depth quantitative data and qualitative analysis to facilitate critical, fact-based business decisions.  For more information, contact Dell'Oro Group at +1.650.622.9400 or visit https://www.delloro.com. 

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SOURCE Dell'Oro Group