According to Navigant Research, smart pole deployments are expected to have a compounding annual growth rate (CAGR) of 50% through 2028.
Smart poles leverage sensor and communications technologies to create an intelligent environment. By providing connection to the electricity grid and a physical location along streets and pathways, smart poles offer an attractive host for mobile broadband small cells as well as public WiFi access points (APs). Smart poles are also well-positioned to provide a platform for other smart city technologies including smart lighting systems and sensor arrays.
Global annual deployments of smart poles are expected to increase from less than 600 in 2019 to more than 22,000 in 2028, a CAGR of 50.8%.
"Though a nascent market, several smart pole drivers have emerged, including current and future needs for public connectivity and cellular network densification," said Grant Samms, research analyst at Navigant. "Municipalities are also seeing smart poles as infrastructure that can create new revenue streams and improve public safety by providing charging for electric vehicles, charging for cellular phones, a platform for advertising, and other features."
The emergence of 5G wireless and the accelerating adoption of smart city strategies is expected to drive increasing demand for this connected infrastructure.
