Over the past few years, the rapid development and initial rollouts of 5G networks have brought faster speeds and lower latencies to consumers and businesses across the globe. While these early 5G networks have delivered impressive improvements in wireless connectivity, they are still built upon and rely on an existing 4G LTE core infrastructure. This non-standalone (NSA) architecture has facilitated faster adoption, but the next evolution of 5G connectivity is here.
What is 5G Standalone?
5G Standalone (SA) represents a significant upgrade that leverages an entirely new core network designed for 5G. By utilizing a 5G core network with cutting-edge features like network slicing and improved quality of service control, 5G SA will enable more transformative applications across areas like smart cities, industrial automation, autonomous vehicles, and augmented reality. With a 5G core explicitly tailored for new 5G air interfaces and spectrum, the promise of higher multi-Gbps speeds, high-precision low latency connectivity, and massive capacity can be more fully realized. As operators increasingly shift to this standalone network architecture over the next few years, users and enterprises will see the true capabilities of 5G come to fruition.
The GSA reported in February 2024 that roughly 20% of the 585 global operators investing in 5G are planning, trialing, or using a 5G SA network.
5G SA Builds on 5G NSA
The initial 5G networks being rolled out globally follow a non-standalone model that leverages existing 4G LTE infrastructure to deliver enhanced mobile broadband speeds and lower latency. This approach allows mobile operators to launch 5G services faster and more economically by building on their mature and embedded 4G networks. By utilizing existing infrastructure and spectrum, deployment costs are reduced, and resource efficiency is improved. These networks still provide boosts in speed and responsiveness beyond 4G. The non-standalone model also offers an incremental path for mobile operators to cost-effectively bridge their networks to the more advanced 5G SA model. Operators can smooth network transformation investment needs while growing 5G coverage and device penetration.
In contrast, 5G SA networks have an end-to-end next-generation architecture encompassing both new 5G radio access and an entirely new 5G core network. By building a core network fully designed for 5G, standalone networks can realize the highest speeds, lowest latency, and advanced capabilities outlined in the 5G 3GPP specifications. A customized 5G core facilitates network slicing, enables more precise control of quality of service, and lays the groundwork for continuing 5G innovations. With the extensive upgrades and systems integration required for this completely re-engineered mobile architecture, 5G SA network buildouts are occurring gradually to complement existing NSA models.
The Immense Benefits Delivered with 5G SA
One of the most-anticipated capabilities enabled by 5G SA networks is end-to-end 5G network slicing. Network slicing allows mobile operators to create multiple distinct virtual networks on top of a shared physical 5G infrastructure. Software and virtualization technologies segment the network into differentiated slices with customized connectivity parameters tailored for specific applications or use cases.
For example, separate slices can be designed to prioritize ultra-reliable low latency for real-time automation and control systems, high-throughput for video applications, and low-power long-range connections for IoT sensors. 5G Network slicing allows guaranteed quality of service, traffic isolation, independent management, and control and orchestration of logical sub-networks that run on shared infrastructure. This software-defined virtualization allows the same 5G network to support unrelated vertical industries’ very different technical demands. Everything from manufacturing to healthcare can benefit from virtually separate networks running on top of common carrier infrastructure. And with network function virtualization, operators have cloudlike agility to optimize slices to meet emerging needs. 5G SA architecture is essential in providing the end-to-end orchestration between the radio access network and core to utilize 5G network slicing to its full potential.
By utilizing an end-to-end 5G network, 5G SA can realize substantially lower latencies than current networks can achieve. With specialized network functions designed for the demands of low-latency applications, 5G SA will support latencies as low as 1-5 milliseconds. This level of precise and consistent ultra-low latency opens up new use cases in areas like industrial automation, autonomous vehicles, augmented reality, and more that depend on immediate and reliable feedback loops.
In addition, 5G SA networks are engineered to deliver theoretical peak data rates exceeding 10 Gbps, with typical user speeds still markedly faster than both 4G and 5G NSA networks. By freeing dependence on legacy network infrastructure, the advanced antenna and access technologies intrinsic to 5G can be fully leveraged to maximize throughput capabilities.
5G SA also offers superior scaling capabilities for managing massive device density. In a single square kilometer, 5G SA has the capacity to accommodate up to one million devices. As the Internet of Things (IoT) proliferates, this capability and advancements in edge computing unlock the door for expansive deployments of billions of connected devices.
By optimizing network protocols and enhancing overall system design, 5G SA networks require less power to deliver high-speed data and low-latency communication. This reduction in power consumption aligns with the global push for sustainability and facilitates the deployment of energy-efficient and environmentally conscious telecommunications infrastructure.
A February 2024 report from Spirent states there are now more than 17 5G SA core vendors and nearly 1,750 device types that support 5G SA.
How Will 5G SA Help Enterprises?
The rollouts of 5G SA networks will be significant for many industries, such as manufacturers. By creating isolated network slices optimized for industrial IoT and low-latency applications, factories will gain versatility through wireless connectivity. Supply chains can be bolstered with dedicated massive-scale slices for sensors and logistics trackers. The sub-5 millisecond latencies open the door for precise closed-loop feedback control and automation, with applications ranging from assembly robots to quality control systems.
For healthcare systems, 5G SA networks facilitate remote precision medicine. Network slices can easily be deployed for telehealth video consults and clinical data transfers with guaranteed high-throughput and reliability. Slices tailored for ambient IoT devices foster real-time remote patient monitoring. Slices focused on low latency facilitate emerging assisted robotic surgery applications that require instant tactile feedback. This versatility supports healthcare innovation and improved patient outcomes.
Professional services firms and companies with mobile workforces will benefit from the unlimited capacity for video collaboration and rapid transfer of large media files enabled by the 10Gbps+ peak speeds. Dedicated slices allow teams to securely access internal systems from any location with enterprise-grade quality of service guarantees. Furthermore, new immersive extended reality applications will drive enhanced remote expertise sharing powered by low single-digit millisecond latency across 5G standalone connectivity.
Conclusion
The evolution from 4G to 5G has witnessed significant strides, with the initial Non-Standalone 5G networks delivering commendable improvements in speed and latency by leveraging existing 4G LTE infrastructure. However, the true potential of 5G is realized with the advent of Standalone networks. The 5G SA architecture, featuring an entirely new core network and cutting-edge capabilities, promises revolutionary applications across various domains. The transition to 5G SA facilitates higher speeds, ultra-low latency, and massive capacity, unleashing the full potential of 5G specifications. As the deployment of 5G SA networks gradually complements existing NSA models, the landscape is set for unprecedented advancements in industrial automation, autonomous vehicles, augmented reality, and the Internet of Things (IoT). The era of 5G SA heralds a new chapter in wireless communication, promising a future of unprecedented connectivity, efficiency, and innovation.
