GSA highlighted that at least 47 operators in 27 countries have already launched 5G SA networks
A total of 121 operators in 55 countries and territories have invested in public 5G standalone (5G SA) networks as of the end of October, Jordan Cox, research manager at the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA), said during a recent webinar.
Cox said that these investments in 5G SA include launches, tests, license acquisition and launch planning. Cox also noted that the deployment of 5G SA has been lower than what had been anticipated in recent years. The analyst said that operators investing in the 5G SA field represent 20.9% of the 578 operators known to be investing in 5G networks at a global scale.
Cox said that one of the main reasons behind this slower adoption is the high costs of 5G SA deployments. “The shift to 5G SA demands substantial investment in new hardware and software,” he said. Other factors slowing down the adoption of 5G SA are interoperability and market demand, Cox said, adding that some operators are waiting to see proven use cases emerge before investing in 5G SA networks.
Cox also highlighted that at least 47 operators in 27 countries have now launched 5G SA networks, while a total of 21 carriers are currently deploying 5G SA networks, with a further 49 planning to launch the technology. “North America and Asia are witnessing the most substantial levels of 5G SA launches,” he said. Cox also noted that the Middle East is also seeing a high level of activity in terms of 5G SA deployments, mainly in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
In Europe, the GSA noted that operators in countries such as France, Norway and Sweden are currently planning 5G SA networks, while operators in Poland are in the process of evaluating and testing 5G SA networks, stating that “these are clear signs that 5G SA is set for continued growth over the next few years.”
Commenting on the global deployment of 5G technology, Cox highlighted that the GSA had identified 578 operators in 173 countries investing in 5G. Of these, 300 operators in 114 countries had already launched or soft-launched 5G services.
The GSA added that 290 operators had already launched or soft-launched 5G mobile services, while 152 operators had launched or soft-launched 5G FWA services.
During the webinar, Cox also highlighted that 1,148 organizations are known to be deploying LTE or 5G private networks at a global scale as of July. Of those, 537, or 44% are using 5G technology. Also, the GSA noted that 68 of those organizations using 5G are known to be using 5G SA networks.
Cox also said that the GSA is aware of at least 2,005 announced devices with support for 5G SA as of October 2023, representing an increase of 192% since the end of 2021. Of those devices, 1,703 are already commercially available, representing a hike of 232% since the end of 2021.
As of October 2023, phones make up over 63% of the commercial 5G SA devices, Cox added.
