Unlike 5G non-standalone (NSA) that is connected to the 4G LTE core network infrastructure, 5G standalone (SA) works independently and is deployed with dedicated 5G equipment and network functionalities. 5G SA networks link to a cloud-native 5G core that can deliver a more complete experience for support of advanced use cases requiring enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultrareliable low-latency communications (URLLCs), and massive machine type communication (mMTC).
5G SA Use Cases
Evolving 5G networks from NSA to SA will allow communications service providers (CSPs) to implement advanced use cases to support innovative solutions for network slicing, alternate reality/virtual reality (AR/VR), gaming, and other smart solutions for manufacturing (fleet and inventory management) and healthcare (robot assistance) and a host of emerging advanced devices and applications offerings to improve connectivity and customer experience.
According to analysts, 5G SA capabilities are growing and there is significant customer demand in three key areas:
- Enterprise private networks for 5G SA capabilities of guaranteed throughput and availability, low latency, and security
- Gaming and extended reality (XR) applications because of the high-availability requirements for consistent throughput and exceptionally low latency
- Government/military applications, especially in remote areas that require secure, reliable connectivity
Challenges
Deployment and adoption of 5G SA have not taken off as predicted. A large amount of current 5G SA use cases only cover connectivity for eMBB and fixed wireless services (FWA). FWA has emerged as a leading use case that will provide a monetization opportunity; however, it has not yet generated a significant return on investment (ROI) in the short or near term. But globally, CSPs are continuing to implement FWA to increase connectivity in dense urban areas as well as rural areas, and tier-one operators: ATT and O2 Telefonica Germany each have supported 1 million FWA subscribers on their 5G SA core network.
Large investments in 5G have limited capex spend for CSPs, and the introduction of modern technologies such as Redcap presents new devices that have reduced capability without full power and work without 5G SA core high-end applications. This capability may cause a decision-making point for CSPs to delay 5G SA deployment even more.
Where Are We Now?
At the onset of 2024, research suggested that 5G SA deployment would be a catalyst for digital transformation and drive 5G SA core adoption due to alignment in capabilities with required 5G network equipment and devices. 5G SA deployment is a mixed bag, and consumer requirements are driving deployment. In the APAC region, because there is a high demand for premium connectivity to ensure a great gaming experience with esports, 5G SA deployment is on the rise. And not only with gaming: Operators in the region are also deploying advanced 5G SA use cases to support fleet management and inventory management by automating processes to improve employee safety.
GMSA reports that as of November 2024, there are 146 operators investing in 5G SA networks, of which 63 have launched or soft launched 5G SA networks. That includes evaluating, testing, piloting, planning, and deploying.
End-Through-End Visibility with NETSCOUT
As CSPs advance toward 5G SA, NETSCOUT vendor-agnostic visibility solutions continue to offer insights to help unlock innovation and reveal revenue-generating opportunities in support of all 5G use cases. Mobile operators will need tools that provide holistic visibility into 5G SA cloud and container environments for real-time monitoring to manage orchestration, automate manual routines, determine root causes, gain insights into service-level agreements (SLAs), and improve triage time to deliver the most satisfactory customer experiences while reducing total cost of ownership (TCO).
Learn more about 5G SA networks and NETSCOUT’s 5G Solution for service providers.