With the rapid spread of 4G networks on devices such as smartphones, Western European countries are finding a high demand for the deployment of batteries in wireless data transmission infrastructure. The list of benefits from this proposed development would include better voice clarity, higher bandwidth for data transmission between mobile phones, and Internet services.
The battery market for telecom is being driven to new heights, forecasting huge growth. The European Battery Technologies for the Telecom Market found that the market earned $628.4 million in 2012 and is predicted to reach up to $914.8 million in 2017.
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The popularity of hybrid base transceiver stations rising promotes using batteries as a renewable power source because telecom companies are trying to reduce fuel consumption in conventional diesel gensets. The fact that the relevance of off-grid, remote BTS also boosts the adoption of batteries for energy storage applications is also important to note.
Frost & Sullivan’s energy and environmental industry manager, Suba Arunkumar, stated, “European countries are migrating to LTE networks, the 4th generation data transmission technologies that require higher bandwidth, better infrastructure and additional battery capacity.”
He asserts that every country should upgrade infrastructure to a 4G network, and this upgrade will drive the demand for batteries in this market. Working against the growth is the fierce competition among batter manufacturers, including heightened pricing pressures, limited entry of new chemistries, and affected revenues. In addition, the market depends heavily on government regulations and that is likely to further dampen battery uptake.
Although its growth is facing some obstacles, the expansion of battery use for 4G networks is essential in a world dominated by technology, such as smartphones, that require these networks, and is especially important as 4G-enabled devices spread and become more and more relevant.
Edited by
Alisen Downey 
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