Complete 5G, a groundbreaking advancement in 5G technology, will be unveiled at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025. This innovative concept merges 5G Standalone (SA) technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and open application programming interfaces (APIs) to enhance network capabilities, enterprise solutions, and economic growth. The GSMA’s report, “Destination Growth: The Journey to Complete 5G,” highlights the potential of accelerated 5G SA deployment and advanced network solutions to drive substantial economic growth, especially in enterprise markets.
Technological Advancements
5G Standalone Networks
Complete 5G is built on the foundation of programmable 5G SA networks, which provide the necessary flexibility for mobile operators to deploy diverse and sophisticated services tailored to specific enterprise needs. The integration of a cloud-native, service-based architecture ensures that 5G SA networks remain efficient, flexible, and future-proof. This approach fundamentally supports network slicing and 5G-Advanced technologies, including non-terrestrial networks (NTN) and 5G Reduced Capability (RedCap) designed for providing low-cost connectivity options.
5G Standalone networks (SA) take the lead here as fundamental components in establishing robust and versatile connectivity solutions. With 326 live 5G networks globally, only a fraction—61—are currently 5G SA. Efforts are in place to expand this number dramatically by 2026 with an additional 89 planned deployments. The adoption of 5G SA networks furthers flexibility, allowing mobile operators to provide more tailored services to meet various industry-specific requirements.
Addressing Deployment Challenges
The rollout of 5G SA faces significant hurdles such as the lack of a clear business case and a shortage of compatible devices. However, Complete 5G aims to address these challenges head-on. By leveraging open APIs, this model enables high programmability in services, availing essential features like quality-on-demand, location verification, and mobile identity services. These capabilities greatly strengthen the business case for 5G SA and expedite the deployment of more cloud-native networks capable of supporting a broader array of APIs.
Addressing other deployment challenges includes overcoming obstacles like the lack of low-band spectrum and enhancing the availability of 5G SA-compatible devices. The positive uptick in the number of compatible devices is testament to the rapid advancements in this area. For instance, the GSA documented a notable jump from 1,511 to 2,112 5G SA-compatible devices between September 2023 and November 2024. The anticipated discussions at MWC25 are expected to offer further insights and solutions to hasten 5G SA rollouts globally.
Economic and Enterprise Impact
Customization and Flexibility
Complete 5G’s integration of 5G SA with open APIs substantially enhances the flexibility of mobile operators to offer more valuable and differentiated services to businesses. This customization potential is crucial, addressing various challenges—beyond mere business cases—like low-band spectrum scarcity, device availability, and network interoperability. Moreover, the growing array of 5G SA-compatible devices highlights uninterrupted progress in this field, confirming a steady march from 1,511 to 2,112 devices recorded between late 2023 and late 2024.
Leveraging these combined capabilities allows businesses to tailor connectivity solutions intricately to their respective needs, driving operational efficiency and profitability. With this advanced offering, mobile operators can resolve deployment challenges and ensure comprehensive end-to-end connectivity solutions that are robust and adaptable. The architecture of Complete 5G provides a dynamic foundation that can be scaled and customized effectively.
Revenue Opportunities
The GSMA’s report underscores substantial revenue potentials, especially within enterprise markets, which Complete 5G can unlock. Advanced connectivity solutions elevate the capabilities of businesses, enabling the transformation of their operational facets and garnering significant economic growth. By embedding agility and programmability into the network, businesses can discover untapped opportunities translating into extensive revenue gains.
MWC25 is expected to put a spotlight on such transformative impacts. The anticipated discussions and showcases will undoubtedly reinforce the pivotal role of Complete 5G in molding the future of global connectivity and fostering digital transformation. High-level network programmability, edge computing efficiencies, and seamless IoT integration will collectively ripple through enterprise settings, leading to extensive, diversified revenue streams and enhanced business potentials.
5G-Advanced Technologies
Early Deployments
At MWC25, there will be a big focus on the early deployments of 5G-Advanced technologies like 5G RedCap, which extends low-cost connectivity to a diverse range of devices including wearables and IoT endpoints like cameras. These advancements not only broaden the array of connected devices but also combine terrestrial cellular and satellite networks to create robust non-terrestrial network (NTN) integrations. Anticipations for 2025 include initial rollouts of 5G RedCap and NTN services based on the strategic frameworks of 3GPP Releases 17 and 18 from leading mobile operators.
The inclusion of 5G RedCap in early deployments signifies broadening access to cost-effective, scalable solutions that cater to a wider market segment, particularly essential for IoT ecosystem growth. These advancements signal a salient shift toward higher efficiency, substantial reduction in operational costs, and expanded connectivity solutions that permeate everyday technology usage. The pragmatic rollout of these services underscores a defining moment in the advancement and accessibility of comprehensive 5G networks.
Enhancing User Experience
Emerging 5G-Advanced technologies promise enhanced uplink capacity for fixed wireless access services, critical for boosting user experiences at high-traffic areas such as events and tourist hotspots. New use cases for mobile networks emerge with these technologies, such as sensing for environmental monitoring and precise location mapping, which further broadens the horizon for practical applications. As AI introduces levels of automation unseen before, these 5G networks dynamically adapt to consumer demands, enhancing efficiency and responsiveness.
AI’s integration into 5G networks drives a substantial boost in their resilience and adaptability. This addresses consumer needs dynamically and efficiently by foreseeing and responding to varying service demands in real-time. As more devices become interconnected and the demand for network capacity grows, the implementation of 5G-Advanced technologies ensures a seamless and rich user experience, maintaining robustness and reliability across diverse usage scenarios.
Network Resilience and Emergency Response
Addressing Extreme Weather
Given the increasing frequency of extreme weather events like wildfires and hurricanes, network resilience is emerging as a paramount focus for modern connectivity solutions. Terrestrial base stations are often compromised during such events, making the NTN services intrinsic to 5G-Advanced a lifeline. These non-terrestrial solutions can ensure critical communication support for communities and emergency responders, playing a pivotal role in rescue and relief operations. The anticipated convergence of NTNs with other 5G-Advanced innovations promises to significantly bolster network resilience.
The enhanced resilience furnished by 5G-Advanced NTN services positions mobile operators to provide dependable communications irrespective of environmental challenges. In addition to aiding disaster-stricken communities, such resilient frameworks support consistent enterprise operations and consumer reliability. This integration of NTNs ensures continued servability and connectivity, validating the compelling necessity of such advancements in today’s unpredictable environmental landscape.
Future-Proof Connectivity
Complete 5G, a revolutionary breakthrough in 5G technology, is set to be unveiled at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025. This cutting-edge concept integrates 5G Standalone (SA) technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and open application programming interfaces (APIs). The synergy of these elements aims to augment network capabilities, enhance enterprise solutions, and drive substantial economic growth. According to the GSMA’s report titled “Destination Growth: The Journey to Complete 5G,” the accelerated deployment of 5G SA and advanced network solutions have the potential to significantly boost economic development. This is especially true in the realm of enterprise markets, where the adoption of advanced 5G solutions can lead to innovative business opportunities and improved efficiencies. The implementation of Complete 5G is expected to transform the telecommunications landscape, offering unprecedented opportunities for enterprise markets and contributing to broader economic progress.