5G standalone reaches 98 operators, but adoption still trails

By Daniel Okafor

Only 98 operators had launched 5G standalone (SA) services by October 2026. That is less than one-quarter of the more than 390 operators GSA says have launched commercial 5G networks.

That gap limits the immediate market for network slicing, reduced capability (RedCap) and SA-based fixed wireless access (FWA). It also complicates international roaming, which requires compatible networks at both ends.

Why has standalone adoption lagged?

Many operators still run non-standalone 5G networks. At a GSA webinar, Vaishali Purohit described standalone deployment as a subset of the wider 5G market. Purohit is a research analyst at FDM CCS Insight and works within the GSA research team.

The migration creates costs for operators. They must move their core network from 4G to 5G. They must also move customers from older to newer networks. Troubleshooting becomes part of that transition work. Smaller markets face tighter budgets.

Purohit said: "It is a transition that takes time."

Although standalone enables network slicing and RedCap, Purohit sees considerable scope for deployment only if operators can balance network investment against the capabilities and services they can deliver.

What does RedCap change for operators?

RedCap targets devices that do not need every conventional 5G capability. It balances performance, device complexity and cost. Connected cameras and industrial devices are potential applications.

GSA recorded 17 RedCap launches by September 2026. Four launches occurred during 2026. Bharti Airtel in India and Telkomsel in Indonesia were also deploying the service.

The launch count does not remove the ecosystem constraint, because RedCap also requires standalone 5G, compatible devices, modules and chipsets, plus a persuasive business case for customers moving from established LTE and NB-IoT services.

Can 5G fixed wireless fill the coverage gap?

GSA counted 276 operators with launched 5G FWA services. Europe led with 108 unique operators. LTE-based FWA still dominated, with 453 launches globally.

Luke Pearce said GSA data showed a pronounced LTE-to-5G transition in recent months. Pearce is principal analyst at FDM CCS Insight and works within the GSA research team. He linked the shift to commercialization and much faster FWA speeds. GSA published no throughput figures for that gain. The analyst assessment is not a measured national speed result.

Although 5G FWA can fill broadband gaps where fiber is unavailable, those rural locations are also less likely to have standalone coverage, making the availability of SA-specific features harder to establish.

Compatible customer premises equipment (CPE) adds another hurdle. Pearce identified its cost as a barrier. International SA roaming also remains nascent. Standalone coverage remains uneven across countries and within individual markets. Home and visited operators need compatible standalone networks. Each pair must also establish and test roaming arrangements individually.

What is moving beyond conventional 5G?

By October 2026, GSA counted 41 operators investing in 5G-Advanced. It counted 19 operators that had launched services. Five operators were testing the technology. One planned a near-term introduction.

China Unicom in China and U Mobile in Malaysia had recently launched 5G-Advanced services. Asia-Pacific led investment with 18 operators. That represented around 43% of the global total.

Purohit called 5G-Advanced the next phase in 5G capability development. The balance among investment, testing and launches will show how the technology matures. Her assessment remains directional, because GSA counted 19 commercial launches by October 2026 but supplied no subscriber totals, coverage figures or throughput data.

Satellite direct-to-device (D2D), also called satellite-to-cell phone, activity was broader. GSA counted 113 operators investing through 123 partnerships. Of those partnerships, 23 had launched a service. Another 27 operators were testing or held licenses. Seventy-three operators planned a launch.

The wider satellite market extends beyond direct-to-device links, with GSA counting another 115 operators investing in community and enterprise broadband, plus IoT and machine-to-machine applications. Purohit saw substantial activity and a growing number of commercial services.

How significant are private networks and spectrum?

GSA catalogued 2,031 organizations deploying private wireless networks by September 2026. Of those, 1,001 used 5G. That represented 49% of deployments.

The 3.5 GHz band led assigned spectrum, with 482 customer references. Manufacturing was the strongest adoption sector, with 393 identified companies.

Purohit called private networks an important part of wider 5G adoption because they satisfy specific organizational requirements instead of relying exclusively on services delivered through public mobile networks.

Spectrum auctions also remain active. GSA recorded 18 completed 5G auctions in the preceding year. Twelve took place in 2026. Five closed in the third quarter, with an average value of $240.63 million.

Eight countries planned auctions in the near future. Italy was considering the 26 GHz band. Even as economic realities have narrowed millimeter wave's role in 5G, Pearce still sees a niche for high-capacity demand in urban areas, public venues and private networks. Pearce said: "It is still there, but it is very much more of a niche application."

The next checkpoints are auctions in eight countries and further 5G-Advanced launches. Operators must balance those commitments against 5G core costs and the need for wider standalone coverage.