A three-way showdown in 2023: 5G standalone, 5G-Advanced and 6G

Standard
A three-way showdown in 2023: 5G standalone, 5G-Advanced and 6G
This insight is locked

Access this insight with a Standard plan. Contact our sales team to get started.


Or

6G marketing and promotion efforts were on the rise in 2022, but this comes against a backdrop of 5G scaling past 1 billion connections in the near term and 5G-Advanced’s arrival in the medium term. On its face, this is a straightforward narrative: today’s 5G will pave the way for 5G-Advanced in the coming years, giving way to 6G in 2030 and beyond. But this means that operators will be managing multiple existing technology generations while planning for and rolling out future ones.

It is well understood that running multiple network generations is a burden on operators. Add to that a future focus on diverse technology evolutions and the problem could be exponentially worse, even if some are still years away. While this might have been a theoretical concern in the past, it’s likely to come to the fore in 2023 as 5G standalone (SA), 5G-Advanced and 6G all clamour for attention.

Report details

A three-way showdown in 2023: 5G standalone, 5G-Advanced and 6G
More info

This report is one of more than 140 published annually as part of the GSMA Intelligence data and research subscription, which is designed for organisations that require regular access to our insights. Contact our sales team for details.

Contact us

Related research

5G, 6G and private networks for digital industries: what shapes enterprise priorities, expectations and investment plans

Premium
Topics
Private networks
5G

Digital transformation of enterprises is accelerating across all vertical sectors, with next-generation connectivity being an important driver and enabler and a top area of investment. GSMA Intelligence surveyed 5,320 enterprises across 32 countries and 10 vertical sectors to gain relevant insights into their digital transformation across a range of technologies. This report analyses the key findings and implications for 5G and/or private networks technologies.

This insight is locked

Network API demand index: a vertical-sector view

Topics
Digital industries
Mobile networks and connectivity

Monetisation is the key objective in 2026 for telcos on APIs (as with other business lines) and their distribution partners, with the implications for go-to-market strategies being different depending on the API and buyer. It is important to quantify the commercial potential and buying likelihood of APIs across different sectors of the economy to accurately orient supply. To that end, GSMA Intelligence has developed the Open Gateway Demand Index, which aggregates a range of metrics to help understand where demand lies and the commercial opportunity for network APIs in each sector.

This insight is locked

The winner, the biggest mover and the surprise: what operators focused on at MWC 2026

Standard
Topic
Mobile networks and connectivity

GSMA Intelligence's Chart of the Month is a visual way of telling an important story in the mobile and broader tech ecosystem. From the shape and size of markets to trends in consumer behaviour, we aim to provide food for thought through informative visuals designed to bring colour and clarity to complex issues facing the industry. This edition looks at which topics telecoms operators focused on at MWC Barcelona 2026.

This insight is locked

Authors

How to access this report

Annual subscription: Subscribe to our research modules for comprehensive access to more than 200 reports per year.

Enquire about subscription

Contact our research team

Get in touch with us to find out more about our research topics and analysis.

Contact our research team

Media

To cite our research, please see our citation policy in our Terms of Use, or contact our Media team for more information.

Learn more
Full access
Get full access to our research now, get in touch with us to find out more about our research topics and analysis
  • 200 reports a year
  • 50 million data points
  • Over 350 metrics

How can we support you?

Get in touch

Contact the GSMA Intelligence support team for help with your account, subscriptions, or access to reports and insights.

Newsletter

Subscribe to the GSMA Intelligence newsletter for the latest industry news and insights, delivered to your inbox.