5G deployment models: Standalone vs Non-

standalone
Operators are exploring the practicalities of launching a 5G service. From a
technology perspective, they must make some key decisions with regards to
their 5G roadmap: non-standalone 5G core first or direct to standalone 5G.
This decision is informed by a number of factors, such as speed to market,
cost, required capabilities. In this article, we explain the difference between the
two architectures and bring them to life with some live operator case studies.

Patrick Montague-Jones, Senior Consultant

February 2022

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The 5G era is upon us
5G, the next generation of mobile connectivity, has been hyped for many years as heralding a quantum leap in
wireless network speeds and bandwidth. Many operators globally sense the opportunity that this presents and
are eager to explore a route to deploying 5G services. Consumers are using more data hungry applications like
4K live streaming and online gaming. Enterprises are transforming and optimising the way they operate
through greater use of IoT, digital twins, AI/ML, and accompanying use cases such as predictive maintenance,
and environment condition monitoring. First mover advantage may well be key from an operator perspective
to capture market share within these customer groups.

Standalone vs Non-standalone
Several operators globally are engaged in acquiring spectrum, network planning and deploying commercially,
at scale. However, most operators are in relatively early stages, trialling technology and running PoCs. Many
countries, including those in Asia Pacific and Latin America, have yet to auction or allocate spectrum licenses.
Operator 5G programme advancement is dependent on three key factors: regulation (whether the regulatory
body has made spectrum available), technological readiness and organisational readiness. In planning their 5G
strategy, operator technology teams must decide whether to deploy a non-standalone core first for 5G and
leverage existing 4G LTE network assets, or move straight to deploying a standalone core (SA). Ultimately, the
launch of 5G SA core is a question of “sooner or later” - some key considerations are laid out below:

Standalone Non-standalone

Definition • 5G network with dedicated equipment and
network functions
• 5G radios coupled with cloud-native, service-
based core network functions
• These network functions are completely
virtualised and cloud-native
• 5G network supported by 4G core infrastructure
• 5G radios coupled with LTE Evolved Packet Core
(EPC)
• Network functions running on dedicated
appliances, in some cases

Pros • Full 5G capabilities available (eMBB, URLLC,
MMC)
• New features, functionality and services
enabled (e.g. network slicing)
• More flexible architecture and dynamic linking
of network functions
• Faster roll out – can act as stepping stone as part
of the transition to SA deployment
• Maximise utilisation of existing network assets
• Lower level of investment required

Cons • Higher level of investment required • Less flexible architecture

5G deployment models – Standalone vs Non-standalone

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 • Organisational training required for 5G core and • Limited incremental 5G functionality
service operation

Example
Deployment

DISH decided to leapfrog NSA as a potential stepping
stone to a full standalone 5G network. The cloud-native
player is building an Open RAN-based network from
scratch, looking to run its service from the public cloud.
Over time they are expanding national coverage to offer
the broadest possible coverage – target is to increase
coverage to 70% by end of 2023.
Deutsche Telekom has taken the other approach, opting
to leverage their 4G/LTE stack to deliver 5G services. This
has allowed them to deliver a service that is perhaps not
as fast as pure 5G, but achieves the purpose of providing
broader national coverage to a much larger proportion of
the population faster. The evolution to an SA core is also
currently underway but the timing will be dependent on the
availability of use cases for 5G SA.

The information above is contained in our Telco Cloud Deployment Tracker. The tracker gives a detailed
insight on which operators are deploying 5G networks, who they are partnering with, at which part of the
technology stack. The table above also draws insight from a short article we published, detailing Tier-1
operator approaches to 5G, including Telefonica, Telia and Vodafone.
As highlighted in the table above, NSA deployments cannot benefit from the full range of capabilities offered
by an SA deployment. While NSA deployments build on LTE’s ability to offer enhanced Mobile Broadband, they
cannot offer the same bandwidth, low latency or reliability offered by a pure 5G deployment.
However, the decision is not necessarily binary - SA or NSA. NSA can bridge the gap between 4G and fully-
fledged 5G. In practice, many operators have started their 5G roll out journey with an NSA deployment, and a
view to graduation to a standalone deployment within a few years. This strategy, when employed correctly,
accelerates time to market with initial proposition to ensure they attract a good share of the market. Most
commonly, the first service deployed is targeted at the consumer mobile market. This allows users to benefit
from the enhanced speed, without requiring use cases that strain the network in terms of bandwidth and
reliability.
In the coming months and years, operators will continue to drive their 5G programmes forward towards a
standalone deployment to simplify their network operations and improve end-customer experience. One of the
key standalone features that operators will look to leverage is network slicing. Network slicing will allow
operators to create dedicated segments of the network to serve specific customers or use cases, with
dedicated SLAs, policy control and quality of service. Each network slice will present an opportunity for
operators to monetise their network differently to the current mode of operation. This is likely to be two to
three years away for the majority of operators, however.

Looking forward
As 5G programmes accelerate, consumers and enterprises stand to benefit greatly from the enhanced
connectivity options on offer. They will be have access to faster, more reliable and secure wireless connectivity
than ever before. In some cases (e.g. manufacturing campus locations and smart cities), 5G may be used as a

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replacement for Wi-Fi or traditional high-capacity wired connectivity. The real challenge for operators will be in
navigating the pace of change and in deciding how to transform (technologically and organisationally) to
maximise value for themselves and their customers. Time will tell which operators will be able to rise to the
challenge.

Patrick Montague-Jones is a Senior Consultant at STL Partners, specialising in a range of

topics across the telecommunications value chain

Get in touch with the author to learn more

patrick.montague-jones@stlpartners.com

Or visit STL Partners’ Telco Cloud Hub

www.stlpartners.com/telcocloud

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