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

Access this insight with a Standard plan. Contact our sales team to get started.
Or
Report details
A three-way showdown in 2023: 5G standalone, 5G-Advanced and 6G
£750
EX. VATThis 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 us6G 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
£750
EX. VATThis 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 usRelated research
Taking the pulse: operator views and plans on quantum technologies
Over the last two years the rise of quantum technologies has flown slightly below the radar, crowded out by the hype of AI. But this should not diminish the implications of quantum technologies for a range of businesses, including telecoms operators. Quantum technologies can provide powerful benefits, including enhanced network security and efficiency. In this report we focus on the strategic implications of quantum technology deployments and the risks of not taking action.
Mobile Data Deck, Q4 2025
The GSMA Intelligence Mobile Data Deck offers a fast track to all the essential data you need to know, with key mobile metrics in one easy-to-use deck of charts. The forecasts to 2030 include connections by region and technology generation, smartphone connections and adoption, and mobile operator revenue.
Global Mobile Forecasts, Q4 2025 Review: capturing the changes, discussing the drivers
GSMA Intelligence constantly monitors mobile markets across the world to capture the most recent trends and share the latest available data. This analysis looks at the key revisions made to the mobile connection forecasts over the previous quarter and the drivers underpinning the changes.
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 subscriptionContact our research team
Get in touch with us to find out more about our research topics and analysis.
Contact our research teamMedia
To cite our research, please see our citation policy in our Terms of Use, or contact our Media team for more information.
Learn moreRelated research
Taking the pulse: operator views and plans on quantum technologies
Over the last two years the rise of quantum technologies has flown slightly below the radar, crowded out by the hype of AI. But this should not diminish the implications of quantum technologies for a range of businesses, including telecoms operators. Quantum technologies can provide powerful benefits, including enhanced network security and efficiency. In this report we focus on the strategic implications of quantum technology deployments and the risks of not taking action.
Mobile Data Deck, Q4 2025
The GSMA Intelligence Mobile Data Deck offers a fast track to all the essential data you need to know, with key mobile metrics in one easy-to-use deck of charts. The forecasts to 2030 include connections by region and technology generation, smartphone connections and adoption, and mobile operator revenue.
Global Mobile Forecasts, Q4 2025 Review: capturing the changes, discussing the drivers
GSMA Intelligence constantly monitors mobile markets across the world to capture the most recent trends and share the latest available data. This analysis looks at the key revisions made to the mobile connection forecasts over the previous quarter and the drivers underpinning the changes.
- 200 reports a year
- 50 million data points
- Over 350 metrics
