Introduction
Forewords
Complete 5G pathways
Case studies
$4.7T
GDP Economic Growth
Market Opportunity & Transformation
Standalone networks represent a major shift for mobile operators, offering a cloud-native foundation that enables enhanced performance, flexibility, and security, key requirements for enterprises and AI-driven applications. Unlike earlier 5G deployments that relied on existing 4G LTE infrastructure (non-standalone, NSA), standalone (SA) networks unlock the full potential of 5G, driving innovation, customer value, and significant revenue growth. This transition is essential for operators aiming to remain competitive and sets the groundwork for future advancements like 6G. The market opportunity is substantial. As global economic growth slows, enterprises are actively seeking new ways to boost productivity. Standalone networks allow operators to deliver business-wide solutions that meet the evolving demands of digital transformation. However, the journey involves navigating complex technical and business changes. Success stories and strategic insights from industry leaders highlight how operators can overcome these hurdles, capture new revenue streams, and support broader economic impact. While most initial 5G rollouts used NSA architecture for speed and cost efficiency, this approach limits monetisation. Now, with standards in place, the industry focus is shifting to SA deployments. Currently, just over 70 operators (about 20% of those with 5G) have launched live SA networks, but adoption is accelerating, with survey evidence pointing to a significant uptick in 2026. This research showcases why standalone networks are critical for unlocking new business models, supporting advanced applications, and driving long-term growth. Operators who embrace this transformation will be well-positioned to lead in the next phase of digital innovation.
Figure 2:
Deployment towards 5G SA
4G LTE
We have a 4G LTE network and are considering the steps to 5G
Evolved Packet Core
4G LTE Radio
4G LTE User Equipment
4G Long-Term Evolution (LTE) is the fourth generation of mobile network technology following the adoption of LTE standards.
5G NSA involves laying the 5G radio access network (RAN) over an existing legacy 4G LTE core/EPC.
5G Standalone (5G SA) is a cellular infrastructure built specifically for 5G services by implementing 5G standards and protocols in the radio network and controller core.
Complete 5G is a whole of business journey that combines the rollout of 5G SA with evolving how to build, deploy and support connectivity-enabled products to enterprises.
5G NSA
5G SA
Complete 5G
We have begun deploying a 5G access network
5G NSA User Equipment
5G New Radio
We are completing our 5G network
5G Core
5G SA User Equipment
More than a technology upgrade, its a whole of business journey
Understand business challenges
Define industrial agenda
Go beyond connectivity
Inspire change internally
Prioritise enterprise R&D
Technology upgrade
Whole of business journey
Vivek Badrinath
Director General
5G is the fastest-growing mobile technology in history, but growth alone isn’t enough. To unlock the full potential and revenue opportunities of 5G, we must complete both the technical rollout of 5G standalone networks and the business transformation needed to sell, deliver, and support enterprise services. Getting this right will power a new era of industrial innovation, creating 7.3 million jobs and adding $4.7 trillion to global GDP.
Louise Easterbrook
CFO
Standalone 5G is a key ingredient to enable the growth of enterprise revenues. These offer Mobile Networks Operators the lion’s share – 70% - of all future industry revenue growth to 2030, US $127 billion, driven by deeper penetration into enterprise markets. This growth will be gained through the provision of highly differentiated services tailored to business' specific needs - like private wireless, at scale.
Alex Sinclair
CTO
At the halfway point of the 5G journey, it is essential that we accelerate our efforts in advancing 5G Standalone networks. Achieving this requires technology leaders to harness widespread support from across their businesses. With a fully-fledged 5G Standalone network, mobile operators will, for the first-time, have a cloud-native network with the performance and flexibility to meet the performance, security and resilience needs of enterprises and AI-driven applications.
CEO Foreword
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A pathways approach to completing the 5G journey
Every operator will determine a unique pathway to Complete 5G that suits its capability and desire to capture available market demand. There are three broad approaches: Fast, Balanced and Slow. As Complete 5G involves operators making both a network and a business transition, adopting a pathways approach is essential to success.
Figure 5:
Example pathways to Complete 5G
Upgrade to dual modal core
Mass Enterprise
Scale Up
Front runner industries
2025
2027
2029
2031
2033
2035
Balanced
Slow
Fast
Pathways
Deploying Complete 5G functionality before the market evolves, potentially advantageous for capital-rich operators or those who wish to invest ahead and protect market share. This approach is to be guarded against for operators who are capital-constrained or uncertain of the speed at which their enterprise market will evolve.
Deploying 5G functionality when the market is ready to pay for it, taking a more considered approach to securing capital returns on Complete 5G investments sooner. This is likely to be optimal for most operators, given that the majority are capital constrained.
Deploying 5G functionality at a steady pace, once proof points of market demand for Complete 5G are well established. This approach might be prudent with the deployment of capital, but risks leaving “money on the table” from revenue growth opportunities.
Manufacturing
Germany
Bosch
Bosch, in collaboration with Nokia, launched its first 5G campus network at its Stuttgart-Feuerbach factory. The 5G network supports devices such as the ActiveShuttle, an autonomous transport system that navigates the shop floor, avoiding obstacles and performing tasks with precision. Source: Patelay, Wolfgang (2020). Bosch Launches 5G Campus Network, Leverages Industry 4.0. EE Times Europe.
Energy and utilities
China
State Grid Shandong
State Grid Shandong plans large-scale deployment across the province, with an estimated of 300,000 5G connections by 2024. This will include 150,000 5G RedCap terminals which reduce terminal costs by 50% and energy consumption by 32%. Source: Mobile World Live (2024.) China Unicom, State Grid and Huawei Launch 300,000-Connection 5G Smart Grid Plan. Mobile World Live.
Transport
Singapore
Singtel
Singtel became the first provider globally to use Dynamic Radio Resource Partitioning (RRP) for live 5G SA network slicing, delivering seamless 5G experiences during the Singapore Grand Prix in October 2022. The cloud-native, end-to-end network slicing with RRP ensured high throughput and low latency, delivering seamless HD streaming even with 302,000 fans in attendance. Source: Ericsson (2022.) Singtel provides seamless customer experiences during Singapore Grand Prix 2022 using Ericsson’s 5G Network Slicing technology. Ericsson.
Smart cities
United States
Verizon
Verizon conducted a 5G SA network slicing trial in Phoenix, Arizona, with Axon Enterprise, which used network slicing, dynamic allocation of resources to optimise performance, low latency and high-quality video streaming even during congestion. The trial improved video streaming success rates and reduced "time to first frame," enhancing situational awareness for law enforcement and improving public safety responses. Source: Jones, Dan (2024). Verizon: Network slicing operational but in trials. Fierce Network.
Case studies explored in the report
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source: Long Street Advisors
Regional opportunities of completing the 5G journey
The opportunity with completing the 5G journey highlights regional differences: Asia is at the forefront with numerous network deployments and strong enterprise demand, followed closely by the Americas and Europe, which are transitioning rapidly, while Africa is experiencing significant mobile data growth on 4G LTE networks.
Complete 5G impact by region, jobs and GDP
Select an area on the map
GDP ($bn)
Jobs (m)
2025-2030
1,386
0.4m
North America
Latin America & Caribbean
221
0.5m
Middle East & Africa
336
1.3m
Europe & Central Asia
1,151
0.6m
South, East & Southeast Asia
1,530
4.5m
87
0.0m
Oceania
FAQs
Adaptive Networks
Enterprise
Overview
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5G and the digital transformation of the enterprise sector will enable an additional $4.7 trillion to world GDP, enabling significant and new forms of economic growth.
7.3M
Complete 5G will impact the mobile telecommunications industry itself, creating 7.3 million new and exciting jobs in networks, enterprise product, sales and marketing and research and development.
New Jobs
Enterprise Report
Consumer Report
Lead contributors
Download the report series and complete the 5G Journey today
EE
EE launched its 5G SA network in September 2024 across 15 major cities in the UK, leveraging 700 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2600 MHz and 3.5 GHz spectrum.2 The operator has subsequently expanded its 5G SA coverage at a rapid pace. As of August 2025, EE’s 5G SA network was available to more than 34 million people, covering over half of the UK population. This makes it the UK’s biggest 5G SA network, according to publicly available data.
Network slicing
UK
Uplink boosts
UAE
e&
In May 2019, e& UAE became the first operator in MENA to launch a commercial 5G service. By February 2023, its 5G network served all main urban areas and many connecting highways in the country, achieving a population coverage of 97%. The operator subsequently switched on its 5G SA network for FWA subscribers in March 2023, before introducing 5G SA capabilities for mobile users later that year.
Telstra
Telstra was one of the first operators worldwide to launch commercial 5G services, switching on its 5G network in May 2019. The operator’s 5G network now covers more than 90% of Australia’s population. This widespread coverage lays the foundation for its 5G SA network, which became commercially available in November 2022. The network uses Telstra’s 3.5 GHz and 850 MHz spectrum to improve the overall 5G experience for end users.
Network Slicing
Australia
AR/VR
US
T-Mobile
T-Mobile US launched 5G SA in August 2020, making it one of the first operators in the world to deploy a dedicated 5G core network. It initially leveraged its 600 MHz spectrum to deploy 5G SA nationwide, before layering mid-band capacity with its 2.5 GHz spectrum.
Destination Growth
Completing the 5G Journey with Standalone Networks
Foundation of 5G
Release 15
Setting the standards for 5G innovation
The promise of full potential 5G is becoming reality through the evolution of 3GPP releases and GSMA standards, unlocking new possibilities for industries and communities alike. 3GPP sets the technical blueprint powering 5G innovation, while the GSMA ensures these technologies are secure, scalable, and commercially ready.
Figure 1:
3GPP 5G Evolution
2019
2020
2021-2022
2023-2024
2026-2027
2028
Performance generation
5G
AI-integration automation
5G-Advanced
AI-native & agentic by design
6G
5G NR (New Radio) for enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB)
Dual connectivity (EN-DC) with LTE
Massive MIMO and beamforming
Network slicing concept introduced
RedCap (Reduced Capability) devices for IoT and wearables
Standalone (SA) and Non-Standalone (NSA) architecture
Enhanced spectral efficiency
Support for mmWave spectrum
Network Automation
Release 16
Release 17
Release 18
Release 19
Release 20
Release 21+
Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC)
Expanding to New Verticals
Industrial IoT (IIoT) enhancements
V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) communications
5G NR in unlicensed spectrum (NR-U)
Power saving enhancements
Network Automation evolved
Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB)
Network slicing enhancement
Private networks (NPNs) introduced
Positioning accuracy improvements
Coverage, Devices, and Efficiency
Non-terrestrial networks (NTN) – satellite integration
Multicast and broadcast extensions
Enhanced URLLC for industrial automation
Expanded positioning capabilities
Energy efficiency enhancements
Extended spectrum support up to 71 GHz
Continued development of network automation
Further network slicing refinements
Edge computing integration
Beginning of 5G-Advanced
5G-Advanced branding introduced
Further evolution of RedCap
Advanced energy savings
Support for time-sensitive networking (TSN)
Positioning enhancements <10 cm accuracy
Expanded coverage for NTN (satellite 5G)
AI/ML in RAN for network optimisation
Enhanced MIMO and multi-TRP connectivity
XR (Extended Reality) optimisation
Uplink performance improvements
Continued 5G-Advanced Evolution
Expanded AI/ML
Ambient IoT – devices powered by energy harvesting
Uplink-centric enhancements for IoT and video streaming
Enhanced private network and slicing support for enterprise verticals
Further enhancements to NTN, including IoT over satellite and LEO backhaul integration
Positioning <1 cm accuracy and real-time motion tracking
Advanced RedCap+ devices with higher data rates and lower cost
Energy efficiency focus – AI-based cell sleep control
Enhanced XR (AR/VR) performance with dynamic latency management
Network automation maturity (zero-touch service orchestration)
Transitional Phase Toward 6G
Normative support for AI/ML in the air interface to improve performance and efficiency
Enhancements to NR-NTN and IoT-NTN, including low-data-rate voice over GEO satellites and GNSS-independent resilient operations
Improved Quality of Service (QoS) handling and monitoring for XR and media services (XRM)
Continued studies on using the network for sensing by evaluating the system architecture and procedures
Expansion of Ambient IoT beyond simple RFID-type functionality
A focus on system-wide energy efficiency, with mechanisms to reduce power consumption in both network infrastructure and devices
Continued enhancements for Mission Critical Services (MCS), including support for discreet listening and monitoring, logging and recording features
Preparation for migration to quantum-resistant algorithms by adapting existing protocols and fully integrating 256-bit algorithms into 3GPP procedures.
From Specification to Deployment
Release 21
In development
Advanced automation
RedCap
Service innovation
Consumer
Adaptive Networks Report
The Journey to Complete 5G
$127b
The Opportunity of Completing the 5G Journey for Enterprise
Enterprise customer value of Complete 5G
Complete 5G offers a range of enhanced network capabilities that can be translated into industrial applications that enterprise customers value. The examples identified below are derived from our consultations as the most practical or impactful for addressing real business needs (and are not exhaustive).
INDUSTRY OPPORTUNITIES
NETWORK CAPABILITIES
Low latency
Security features
Configuration and deployment automation
High speeds
Reliable throughput
Real time monitoring
Public Sector and defence
Finance
Retail
Transport and logistics
Healthcare
Timeline:
2025 - 2026
2026 - 2030
2030 onwards
Voice over New Radio
Smart mobility
Integration of AI
Intelligent surveillance and video analytics
In call language translation
Machine to machine communication
Smart Wearables and extended reality
Systems optimization for energy efficiency
Real time threat detection
Resource extraction
Media and entertainment
Robotics
Scale up of AI
Remote surgery
Smart traffic management
Autonomous vehicles
Digital twins
Energy companies
Automotive
Real Estate and infrastructure
Public safety agencies
Government entities
M/SMES
Figure 7:
Evolution of the enterprise opportunity
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Chapter 1: The opportunity of Complete 5G
Chapter 2: Pathways to Complete 5G
Chapter 3: Evolution of the enterprise opportunity
Chapter 4: Priorities for completing the journey
Chapter 5: The need for action
Media and etnertainment
Source: Long Street Advisors
Enterprise opportunities
As global growth slows, enterprises are desperately seeking new ways to improve productivity. With Complete 5G, for the first time mobile operators will have a cloud-native network and a whole-of-business approach to offer the performance and flexibility to meet the efficiency, security and resilience needs of enterprises and AI-driven applications. The challenge lies in how to transition to Complete 5G since the journey presents several dilemmas. This report shows how it is possible to navigate these challenges successfully, so that mobile operators can capture significant new revenues in an industry that is otherwise struggling to grow. This report was prepared in consultation with a wide range of mobile industry leaders around the world operating 5G and 4G LTE networks.
Industry Revenue Growth
The industry revenue growth opportunity from complete 5G SA deployment and business transformation requirements is $127 billion up to 2030. This will account for around 70% of the estimated $186 billion of new revenue expected to be generated for mobile operators up to 2030.
The Consumer Opportunity of 5G Standalone Networks
By evolving beyond legacy non-standalone (NSA) architectures, SA introduces a cloud-native core and radio access designed to support advanced capabilities such as network slicing, ultra-low latency, and significantly higher uplink speeds. Operators can monetise these via premium bundles, VIP or event-specific access, and tailored performance tiers leveraging network slicing for dedicated bandwidth, low latency or guaranteed performance. Forecasts underline the opportunity: global SA subscriptions are projected to reach approximately 3.6 billion by 2030, representing nearly 60 per cent of all 5G subscriptions and research suggests that service providers may capture an ARPU uplift of up to 5% by moving to differentiated connectivity models that SA enables. Global SA deployments are accelerating, with more than 70 mobile network operators having a live 5G SA network. Critically, SA is the foundational architecture for future 6G evolution - positioning operators to lead next-generation services and incremental revenue streams.
Download the Consumer opportunity report
Chapter 1: Why standalone (still) matters
Chapter 2: Use case analysis
Chapter 3: Case studies
Chapter 4: Outlook
Consumer opportunities
Consumer Service Revenue
The financial upside to 5G Standalone deployment is clear: Standalone can add up $60 billion in additional annual revenue - a 5% uplift on total mobile growth, with the 70% of SA revenue originating from the consumer segment by 2030.
$60b
High upload content streaming
Live Broadcasting
Fixed Wireless Access (FWA)
The growing adoption of 5G globally has seen a raft of new use cases enabled for consumers that go well beyond the speed boosts relative to 4G LTE based services. These have ranged from broadband packages like fixed wireless access (FWA) to enhanced user experience services for gaming, OTT content streaming and more.
Transforming the consumer experience
Standalone networks designed to support 5G-Advanced technologies
5G-Advanced represents the next evolutionary step for 5G, unlocking powerful new capabilities such as dynamic network slicing, precise positioning, ultra-low latency and faster uplink speeds. Enabled through 3GPP Releases 18–21, these innovations depend on 5G Standalone networks, essential for realising the next wave of advanced, commercially viable use cases.
5G-Advanced Features
Massive IoT
URLLC
Non-Public Networks*
Power efficiency
Location and positioning
Uplink boost
Live broadcast
AI / ML Integration
RAN Control Loops
Network Sensing
Key 3GPP Releases:
Supported
Support for 5G-Advanced Features
Not supported
Limited support
Foundation in NB-IoT/LTE-M; NR-Light/RedCap and extended power-optimisation for large-scale sensor networks in industrial settings.
Rel-15 Rel-16 Rel-17/18
Industrial automation latency and reliability improvements, uplink robustness, mobility reliability, and deterministic QoS evolution.
Rel-15 Rel-16 Rel-17 Rel-18
Dedicated enterprise networks, standalone NPN, secure slicing, automated QoS guarantees, industrial mobility and interference controls.
Rel-16 Rel-17 Rel-18
Wake-up signals, extended DRX, AI-assisted power control, and continuous RAN energy optimisation loops to reduce operational cost.
Rel-15/16 Rel-17 Rel-18
Multi-tenant network virtualisation with SLA telemetry, lifecycle automation, and cross-domain orchestration for enterprise SLAs.
Rel-15 Rel-16/17 Rel-18
XR-specific QoS models, traffic optimisation, foveated streaming, multicasting, and latency reduction for immersive industrial training.
Rel-17 Rel-18 Rel-19 Outlook
Indoor industrial positioning, high-integrity centimetre-level capability, and enhanced uplink-based localisation.
Broadcast/broadband convergence for venue events, public safety, and local-area content distribution.
ML-based optimisation across scheduling, mobility, beamforming, power use, and anomaly detection.
Rel-17 (initial ML hooks) Rel-18 (AI-native)
AI-driven closed-loop RAN automation, intelligent resource allocation, slice management, and predictive congestion control.
Rel-17 (policy and data models) Rel-18 (native AI control) Rel-19 Outlook
Joint communications and sensing for environment mapping, positioning, and beam refinement, with industrial safety/logistics potential.
Rel-18 baseline Rel-19 expansion expected
5G Standalone: Getting Ahead of the Curve
Unlocking the scalable middle between public and private networks
Multi-Tenanted Environments (MTEs) offer mobile operators a scalable way to meet enterprise demand for more assured, secure and tailored connectivity, without every customer needing a dedicated private network. By combining shared public, private or hybrid infrastructure with tenant-level isolation, performance guarantees and service assurance, MTEs create the middle ground between public and private networks. They are especially relevant in complex, high-demand locations such as airports, ports, stadiums, campuses and industrial sites, where multiple tenants, applications and users need reliable connectivity in the same environment. For MNOs, the opportunity is commercial as well as technical. MTEs provide a route to monetise 5G Standalone capabilities, including network slicing, QoS, security, exposure, positioning and edge, by packaging them into differentiated enterprise services and premium SLAs. This report outlines the opportunity, the challenges to overcome, and the steps operators can take to turn MTEs into new revenue streams. Read the report to explore how MTEs can unlock new growth from 5G Standalone.
Use case examples explored in the report
Download the MTE report
Chapter 1: The evolving demand landscape
Chapter 2: The role of MTEs
Chapter 3: The state of play for a multi-tenanted offering
MTE Example
Use cases
Airports
In the US, Dallas Fort Worth International leverages network slicing to procide connectivity and latency aligned to business partner use cases. This enables network resources to be prioritised effectively across user demands and traffic types.
Aviation
Chile
Shipping
Ports
In Chile, Ericsson and Entel have demonstrated 5G network slicing across salmon farms, ports and transport routes The slices support asset tracking, remote monitoring, teleoperation, 360º cameras and worker safety.
Broadcasting
In Australia, Telstra and Network 10 successfully trialed network slicing for the live broadcast of the Spring Racing Carnival, Melbourne The trial supported uplink of premium live video feeds from wireless cameras with high bandwidth and low latency.
Entertainment
Festival
Mission Critical
In the US, the City of Irving and Verizon employed network slicing at the Sparks & Stripes event for first responders’ vehicles to have dedicated network capacity. The slices supported continuous video feeds and near real-time communication.
Example of an MTE deployed for airport facility and tenants
Multi-Tenanted Environments
A New Opportunity for 5G Standalone Networks
Network deployment types used:
Private 5G network
Public 5G network
Hybrid public-private
End consumers benefit from real-time information, shorter wait-times, improved safety and consumer service experience
URLL Deterministic coordination for aircraft turnaround, ground operations and safety
USE CASE Ground operations
Positioning/Location Real-time tracking of vehicles, baggage, containers and catering
Positioning/Location Precise tracking of technicians, tools and assets for faster response
USE CASE Maintenance
mMTC Sensors across terminals for HVAC, lighting, escalators and structural monitoring
mMTC Support for large numbers of connected devices (smart shelves, kiosks, sensors, POS)
USE CASE Retailers
API Exposure Customer engagement through targeted campaigns
Security Encrypted, isolated communications with slice-specific authentication
USE CASE Airport security
Network slicing Fully isolated security domain with dedicated policies and monitoring
Airports bring together multiple high-value tenants, from airlines and security agencies to retailers, all requiring secure, reliable connectivity alongside thousands of connected passengers. An MTE enables each tenant to operate on dedicated network slices with guaranteed performance and isolation, while sharing the same underlying infrastructure. Click the icons to discover the airport use cases.
Back to GSMA Complete 5G
What exactly is "Complete 5G" and how is it different from today’s 5G networks?
Complete 5G combines two key elements: a 5G Standalone network (see Q5 for an explanation of 5G Standalone) that operates independently of 4G infrastructure, and a consultative business approach enabling mobile operators to deliver advanced enterprise solutions. Unlike current 5G networks that often rely on existing 4G infrastructure, Complete 5G represents a ground-up redesign of both network architecture and business operations to enable more advanced capabilities. Complete 5G enables operators to deliver transformative mobile connectivity by combining 5G's most advanced capabilities with personalized solutions tailored to customer needs. 5G Standalone’s widespread deployment enables cloud-native and virtualised capabilities with the performance and flexibility for addressing modern communication demands.
2. Why do businesses need Complete 5G?
Businesses need Complete 5G because it enables them to improve efficiency and productivity through capabilities like real-time monitoring, automation, enhanced security, and support for thousands of connected devices simultaneously. It provides the high performance, reliability, and flexibility required for modern industrial applications and AI-driven solutions, allowing businesses to transform their operations and respond more effectively to market demands.
3. When will Complete 5G become widely available?
Complete 5G will roll out in three distinct stages: early adoption by front-runners in manufacturing, retail, and government during 2025-2026; broader industry adoption and scaling from 2026-2030; and finally, mass enterprise uptake from around in 2030 and beyond. This staged approach allows for the gradual development of the ecosystem and gives businesses time to prepare for and implement the technology effectively.
4. What is 5G Standalone?
5G Standalone (5G SA) is the latest version of 5G technology, built on new systems without depending on older 4G networks (hence standalone). Earlier versions of 5G (called Non-Standalone or 5G NSA) were built on a 4G core network to accelerate the roll out of 5G to provide enhanced mobile services to customers. At a very high level all mobile networks are made up of 2 elements: Radio cell tower to mobile device ‘over the air’ connection Core cell tower to cell tower ‘physical network signalling & infrastructure' Most of today’s 5G is 5G radio over an existing 4G core, while 5G Standalone is 5G radio over a 5G core.
5. What are the benefits of 5G Standalone?
5G SA is completely independent and uses all-new equipment and software from end to end. This upgrade allows for much faster response times (latency), better network performance, and enables many new features that weren't possible before - like the flexibility to create dedicated network paths for different services such as emergency communications or immersive gaming. While both versions offer mobile service enhancements, 5G SA represents a complete transformation of the mobile network that can deliver the full benefits of 5G technology.
6. How will Complete 5G enable AI applications?
Complete 5G provides the essential foundation for AI applications through its high-performance, low-latency, and reliable connectivity capabilities. It enables real-time data processing, seamless automation, and the deployment of AI-driven solutions across widespread locations, supporting everything from automated manufacturing processes to smart city applications and advanced analytics.
7. Will Complete 5G improve internet access?
Complete 5G enables superior Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) service, providing high-speed home internet access where fibre deployment is impractical or too expensive. This is particularly valuable in emerging markets and congested urban areas, where traditional broadband infrastructure may be challenging to install, and has already shown success in markets like the US where 90% of recent broadband additions have been FWA customers.
8. How will Complete 5G improve energy efficiency?
Complete 5G enables precise, real-time energy management across business operations through enhanced asset visibility and control, allowing enterprises to optimize their energy consumption. Additionally, it helps mobile operators reduce their own energy consumption by eliminating the need to maintain dual networks (4G and 5G), while its intelligent network design and optimization features provide better energy efficiency per bit of data transmitted.
9. What role should governments play?
Governments need to take an active role in supporting Complete 5G by including it in national economic development plans, ensuring efficient spectrum allocation, supporting network deployment through favourable policies, encouraging cross-industry collaboration, and potentially providing funding support for rural deployment. Their involvement is crucial for creating an environment that enables rapid and effective deployment of Complete 5G infrastructure.
10. What no regrets actions should operators take?
Operators should begin upgrading to a Dual Mode Core that supports both 4G and 5G, build stronger relationships with enterprise customers, develop partnerships with technology companies, enhance their business capabilities for enterprise solutions, and actively engage with government stakeholders. These "no regrets" moves position operators to capitalise on Complete 5G opportunities while minimizing transition risks.
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11. What is the difference between 5G-SA and NSA and 5G-Advanced?
5G Standalone and 5G Non-Standalone are network architectures, while 5G-Advanced is the development of innovative standardised capabilities being deployed on these architectures to optimise them and support new services.
12. What is 5G-Advanced?
5G-Advanced is the second phase of the 3GPP 5G standardisation process which will bring a new wave of wireless innovations, that will push technology boundaries in three broad directions; performance improvements, better management and greater efficiency, and enhancement for specific use cases.5G-Advanced represents the next evolution of 5G technology, bringing enhanced capabilities that go beyond traditional 5G networks to support more sophisticated business applications. This intermediate step between 5G and 6G introduces improvements in artificial intelligence integration, reduced latency, expanded IoT device support, and more reliable network slicing capabilities. For businesses, these advancements translate into practical benefits such as improved precision in industrial automation, more reliable remote operations, enhanced mixed reality experiences, and better support for massive IoT deployments. The technology also introduces advanced positioning capabilities that enable location accuracy down to a few centimeters, opening up new possibilities for asset tracking, autonomous systems, and location-based services.
FAQs:
13. How much revenue growth is expected from 5G Standalone?
5G Standalone is expected to unlock up to $60 billion in new consumer service revenues by 2030, as operators introduce innovative services and premium experiences that weren’t possible on previous networks.
14. How does 5G SA help operators grow their business?
5G SA enables operators to offer advanced services, like network slicing, immersive AR/VR, and ultra-reliable low-latency communications, creating new revenue streams and premium options for consumers.
15. What is the impact of 5G SA on my mobile plan or pricing?
With 5G SA, operators can introduce new service bundles and premium plans, often including enhanced streaming, gaming, or home internet options. This could mean more choices and value for consumers, while helping operators grow their revenues.
16. How does consumer adoption of 5G SA drive industry growth?
As more people upgrade to 5G SA-compatible devices and plans, operators can scale up innovative services, supporting both industry growth and the rollout of future technologies.
17. What new business opportunities does 5G SA unlock for consumers?
5G SA supports new experiences—like live event streaming, immersive AR/VR, and smart home applications—that can be offered as value-added services, giving consumers more options and operators new ways to grow.
18. How does 5G SA benefit the broader economy?
Beyond direct consumer revenue, 5G SA is expected to drive significant economic growth by enabling digital transformation across industries, supporting job creation, and fostering innovation.
19. Why is now the right time for operators to invest in 5G SA?
With only about 20% of operators having launched live 5G SA networks, there’s a major growth opportunity for early adopters to lead in delivering next-generation consumer experiences and capture new market share.
20. What are Multi-Tenanted Environments (MTEs)in 5G networks?
Multi-Tenanted Environments, or MTEs, are shared network environments that allow multiple tenants, applications or users to access tailored connectivity over common public, private or hybrid infrastructure. In a 5G Standalone network, MTEs can provide each tenant with logical isolation, performance guarantees, security boundaries, observability and commercial terms aligned to their specific requirements. This gives enterprises a private-grade connectivity experience without every tenant needing to build and manage its own dedicated private network.
21. How do MTEs help operators monetise 5G Standalone?
Multi-Tenanted Environments can help mobile network operators monetise 5G Standalone by turning advanced network capabilities into differentiated enterprise services. Capabilities such as network slicing, Quality on Demand, quality of service, security, exposure, positioning, edge and performance assurance can be packaged into premium service levels and SLAs. For operators, this creates a route to move beyond best-effort connectivity and generate new revenue from assured, customised and chargeable 5G services.
22. What is the difference between MTEs, public networks and private networks?
Public networks provide broad reach and shared access, while private networks offer dedicated infrastructure for a specific enterprise, site or use case. Multi-Tenanted Environments sit between these two models by using shared infrastructure to deliver more assured, secure and tailored connectivity for multiple tenants. This makes MTEs especially valuable where enterprises need private-network-like performance and reliability, but also require greater scale, wider coverage or more cost-efficient deployment than a standalone private network can provide.
23. Which industries and locations are best suited to Multi-Tenanted Environments?
Multi-Tenanted Environments are well suited to complex, high-demand locations where multiple organisations, applications and users need reliable connectivity in the same physical environment. Priority use cases include airports, ports, stadiums, major event venues, industrial campuses, smart cities, transport hubs, utilities, healthcare campuses and large commercial sites. These environments typically combine dense traffic, multiple tenants, defined geographies and measurable service-level requirements, making them strong candidates for 5G Standalone-enabled MTE deployment.
24. What needs to happen before Multi-Tenanted Environments can scale?
5G Standalone is a necessary foundation for Multi-Tenanted Environments, but it is not enough on its own. To scale MTEs, operators will need to invest in productisation, orchestration, dynamic network slicing, billing and charging modernisation, performance assurance, sales enablement and go-to-market models. Ecosystem partnerships with venue owners, enterprise customers, systems integrators, application providers and technology partners will also be important to bring MTE-based services to market at scale.
25. Is MTE simply another name for network slicing?
No. Network slicing is a technology; Multi-Tenanted Environments (MTEs) are a business and service model. MTEs use capabilities such as network slicing, QoS, performance assurance, security and orchestration to deliver tailored connectivity experiences for multiple tenants over shared 5G Standalone infrastructure. Put simply, slicing is one of the building blocks, while an MTE is the complete, commercialised solution. A simple analogy: if network slicing is the engine, the MTE is the vehicle. The engine is essential, but the vehicle also requires steering, brakes, controls, operating rules and a destination. Likewise, MTEs combine multiple capabilities into a scalable, chargeable service that operators can take to market.
Completing the 5G journey with standalone networks
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