GSA data shows 98 operators had launched 5G standalone services by October 2026, even as the wider 5G base passed more than 390 commercial launches. The gap matters because 5G standalone is where features such as network slicing and RedCap sit, not in the non-standalone networks many operators still run (via Light Reading).
Vaishali Purohit said standalone deployment remains a smaller part of the wider 5G market. The same GSA discussion tied that slower SA shift to the cost and operational work involved in moving from a 4G core to a 5G core.
RedCap still depends on the SA layer
GSA data shows 17 operators had launched RedCap services as of September 2026, including four launches during 2026. Bharti Airtel in India and Telkomsel in Indonesia are now deploying 5G RedCap services.
The point is straightforward: RedCap sits on top of 5G standalone, so its rollout pace tracks SA availability and the device ecosystem around it. That is a narrower commercial path than full 5G deployment, and the claims here show it is still at an early stage.
5G fixed wireless access is already broader than SA
The GSA counted 276 operators with launched 5G fixed wireless access services, and Europe leads regionally with 108 unique operators having launched a service. LTE-based fixed wireless access still dominates, with 453 launches globally.
Luke Pearce said GSA data shows a big transition from LTE to 5G fixed wireless access over the past few months. He also said 5G SA-based FWA needs a wider SA footprint, compatible customer premises equipment, and lower equipment cost to make the case stronger.
International SA roaming is still thin
International 5G standalone roaming is still nascent. The home and visited operators both need compatible standalone networks, and roaming arrangements must be set up and tested individually.
That makes SA roaming a different operational problem from non-standalone 5G roaming. It also explains why a bigger SA footprint remains a prerequisite before commercial roaming can scale beyond isolated arrangements.
5G-Advanced, private wireless and auctions keep moving
GSA data shows 41 operators were investing in 5G-Advanced and 19 operators had launched a service. China Unicom in China and U Mobile in Malaysia recently launched 5G-Advanced services.
As of September 2026, GSA research catalogued 2,031 organizations deploying private wireless networks, and 1,001 of them were using 5G. The 3.5GHz band is the most widely assigned spectrum for those networks, with 482 customer references, and manufacturing is the strongest sector with 393 identified companies.
The same GSA update records 18 completed 5G spectrum auctions worldwide in the past year, including 12 in 2026. During the third quarter of 2026, five 5G auctions were completed with an average value of $240.63 million, and eight countries are planning auctions in the near future, including Italy’s 26GHz plan.
Droam Perspective
For mobile operators and enterprise connectivity buyers, the message is not that 5G standalone has stalled, but that it remains a smaller layer than the broader 5G footprint. RedCap, SA-based FWA and roaming all depend on that layer being wider and more operationally mature than it is today.
Private wireless and spectrum auctions show the same pattern: 5G is spreading, but the commercially interesting parts are still concentrated in specific bands, sectors and deployments. The GSA’s numbers point to steady activity, not a clean migration to SA-first networks.