Despite the growing interest in 6G, industry experts emphasize that it will rely on the 5G core for critical functions like traffic routing and user authentication.

Telecom operators have voiced concerns over the high costs of implementing 5G SA over the past few years. Many are keen to avoid similar financial burdens when rolling out 6G, with plans to use the existing 5G core to support the new standard. Ericsson’s Peter Linder, Head of Thought Leadership for North America, explained to Fierce Network at a recent event in Boston that “the same core network will be used for both 5G and 6G, with 6G being available only through the 5G standalone option.”

5G SA progress faces obstacles

However, there are hurdles to overcome. Outside of China, few countries have fully transitioned to nationwide 5G SA. China remains the only nation to have made a complete switch. In the U.S., T-Mobile is currently the sole provider offering nationwide 5G SA, while AT&T and Verizon are still in the process of rolling out 5G SA in limited areas. Many operators are relying on a 4G-based non-standalone (NSA) core, which is inadequate for moving forward with 6G or even the next advancements in 5G.

This dependence on 4G core networks for 5G NSA is even more prevalent in Europe and parts of Asia, with the exception of China.

Importance of network slicing

One of the key features of 5G SA, known as network slicing, allows operators to allocate specific bandwidth for particular tasks. This capability is crucial for 5G’s full potential but is only possible with a 5G core. T-Mobile has already begun utilizing network slicing at sports events, and Verizon has conducted tests for first responders in Arizona.

Despite all the excitement surrounding 6G, significant progress still needs to be made with 5G SA before the next generation of mobile networks can truly become a reality.