Meanwhile, 5G SA (standalone) removes the dependency on 4G and uses a completely new core network. That unlocks things like network slicing, ultra-low latency, and better support for industrial applications. 5G SA is the step towards 6G.

Time to go 5G SA

For several years, many analysts complained that telecom companies were slow to adopt full 5G SA networks. Operators rolled out basic 5G coverage, but many delayed the expensive upgrades required for the full architecture.But this 83% jump in spending means operators are now accelerating this process, which is a strong sign that advanced 5G deployments are finally moving forward.The fastest growth in the last quarter came from North America and the region that includes Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).But Europe is still behind, generally speaking. Countries in the Gulf region (which have much more important things to worry about than 5G SA right now) have been delivering much faster 5G SA speeds than Europe recently. In some cases, speeds there are five times higher than on the Old Continent. Spain's Telefonica is trying to minimize the difference by experimenting with new uses of 5G SA, including indoor coverage in a shopping center and connectivity for helicopters in partnership with Airbus Helicopters.In the US, things are evolving rapidly:

• T-Mobile was the first carrier to have a 5G SA network and promises big things for 2026
• AT&T has demonstrated some jaw-dropping download speeds thanks to 5G SA
• Verizon is in the 5G SA game as well and has launched an enterprise-grade network slice for fixed wireless access

There are currently 88 telecom operators around the world that have deployed 5G SA, which is impressive. Mere months ago – in November 2025, there were only 72.