3GPP Releases 18 through 20 focus on AI-native networks, energy efficiency and support for emerging XR and IoT applications
In sum – what to know:
5G-Advanced is here – The latest 3GPP releases bring AI-native networking, energy efficiency and advanced latency to wireless systems, setting the stage for 6G.
Enterprise transformation – 5G Americas says that digital twins, private networks and AI-driven automation are central to 5G-Advanced’s use cases.
Policy and spectrum readiness – Global harmonization, spectrum reform and AI regulation are critical to unlocking 5G-Advanced’s full economic potential.
5G Americas has released a new white paper, named “5G-Advanced Overview,” detailing how the next phase of 5G—known as 5G-Advanced—is set to revolutionize wireless connectivity and pave the way toward future 6G systems.
The 5G Americas report outlines key advancements in the 3GPP Releases 18 through 20, with a strong focus on AI-native networks, energy efficiency and support for emerging applications like extended reality (XR) and industrial IoT.
“5G-Advanced represents a major technological shift,” said Viet Nguyen, president of 5G Americas. “It’s where artificial intelligence, sustainability, and next-generation connectivity converge to build smarter, more resilient networks.”
Some of the 5G Americas report’s key highlights include:
-AI-native networks are becoming reality, integrating machine learning into both the RAN and core for automated operations. These capabilities allow for intent-based, self-organized networks that can reduce fault detection time by up to 90% and cut false alarms by 70%.
-Energy efficiency innovations include features like cell sleep modes, antenna switching and discontinuous transmission, enabling up to 56% energy savings. The introduction of ambient IoT also supports new ecosystems of battery-free devices.
-Enhanced readiness for XR and IoT is driven by new latency-reducing technologies like Low Latency, Low Loss, Scalable throughput (L4S) and updated QoS frameworks. These enable real-time support for immersive applications and industrial automation.
-Spectrum and satellite integration: Advanced MIMO and Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) extend high-speed coverage to remote areas, offering uplink speeds above 500 Mbps and seamless satellite support.
Andrea Brambilla, head of RAN evolution and device partnership at Nokia and co-leader of the paper, emphasized that 5G-Advanced is already delivering value across industry use cases — from digital twins to AI-powered private networks. “This isn’t just the next step for mobile networks — it’s a platform for the future of enterprise and government connectivity,” Brambilla said.
“By building on 5G Standalone, we’re not just enhancing today’s capabilities — we’re driving the full realization of 5G through 5G Advanced. With the nation’s only 5G Advanced network, T-Mobile is setting the stage for a truly intelligent, sustainable, and nationwide 6G ecosystem,” added Pei Hou, principal technology development strategist at T-Mobile, and white paper group co-lead.
The 5G Americas white paper also provides policy recommendations, urging regulators to address AI governance, shared spectrum models, NTN licensing and the harmonization of IoT standards to support global scale.
In May, the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) had identified 26 operators in 15 countries investing in 5G-A technology. The GSA report noted that a total of 14 operators were evaluating, testing or trialing the technology at that time.
GSA has identified six operators with launched 5G-Advanced networks, including Telstra in Australia, China Mobile in China, CTM in Macao SAR and Singtel in Singapore. One operator is currently deploying a 5G-Advanced network, one is piloting a deployment and four operators are planning 5G-Advanced investments, the association said.
“Asia has seen the most activity for 5G-Advanced, with countries like India, Uzbekistan and Taiwan investing and China and Macao SAR launching 5G-Advanced. There has been little activity in North America and Latin America, with only one country in each region investing in the technology. Europe is slightly more active, with Turkey and Finland investing. Currently, no countries are investing in 5G-Advanced in Africa,” the entity added.
