The recent GSA report noted that a total of 14 operators are evaluating, testing or trialing the technology
In sum – what you need to know:
26 operators across 15 countries investing in 5G-A – According to GSA, Telstra, China Mobile and Singtel are among the telcos that have already launched the technology.
Ecosystem still maturing – Only one chipset is fully compliant with 3GPP Release 18 (Snapdragon 8 Elite). Broader device and modem support is expected later in 2025.
5G-Advanced brings key upgrades – Features include AI-native networks, improved MIMO, energy savings, better uplink performance and precise indoor positioning — critical for sectors like logistics, AR navigation and autonomous vehicles.
The Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) has identified 26 operators in 15 countries investing in 5G-Advanced (5G-A) technology.
The recent GSA report noted that a total of 14 operators are evaluating, testing or trialing the technology.
“This is expected given that 5G-Advanced is a new technology, with operators testing its capabilities and determining how best to use its different functions. Also, operators are waiting for the device ecosystem to progress before launching 5G-Advanced so customers can experience the benefits,” GSA said.
However, 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.
The report highlighted that the main features of 5G-Advanced, which is part of 3GPP Release 18, include integrating AI and machine learning into the network, improving multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antennas and enhancing the network’s energy efficiency.
The association noted that this technology boasts improved signal quality, reduced interference and better use of bandwidth compared with previous versions of 5G. 5G-Advanced also broadens network operators’ services in 5G Reduced Capability (RedCap), network slicing, virtual and augmented reality and non-terrestrial networks, according to the mobile association.
“The introduction of 5G-Advanced is expected to increase the use of 5G standalone, which many operators invested in during the early 2020s. It will also improve the quality of services and reduce costs, as well as opening up new opportunities in the enterprise, industrial and government sectors,” GSA said.
The report also noted that 5G-Advanced delivers faster and more consistent mobile broadband speeds than earlier versions of 5G. It enhances spectral efficiency and uplink performance, which allows for better user experiences in dense environments like stadiums, transport hubs and smart cities.
The report also pointed out that 5G-Advanced can only be deployed after the roll-out of 5G standalone as a public or a private network deployment for an enterprise, utility, education, government or other organization requiring a private campus network.
As of GSA’s latest update in April 2025, 163 operators in 65 countries are investing in 5G standalone networks. GSA has identified at least 73 operators in 40 countries that have launched or softlaunched 5G standalone, representing 44.7% of those investing.
“For these operators, the next step in their network infrastructure strategy is to roll out 5G-Advanced,” according to the report.
The GSA report also highlighted that only one chipset has been released that is fully compatible with 3GPP Release 18 standards from a hardware and software perspective, which is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform. “However, we note that Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform is hardware compatible and needs a software upgrade to be fully compliant with the standard.”
GSA said it has tracked 75 devices that are hardware-compatible with 3GPP Release 18 and use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform or Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform.
“As the ecosystem progresses with more investment in chipsets, modems and devices, more operators will be encouraged to invest in 5G-Advanced mobile infrastructure, helping to grow the ecosystem. We expect this to start in late 2025 with the adoption of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X85 5G Modem-RF system,” the report added.
