As 5G development enters a more advanced phase, simple signal coverage is no longer the primary focus. The report reveals a significant "capability gap" in global 5G development, with Gulf countries leading the world with 5G Advanced, and the power-saving benefits of 5G Standalone (SA) networking finally being confirmed by data.
According to the latest data released by network testing organization Ookla and research organization OmdiaFlagship ReportBy 2026, the main focus of global 5G development has officially shifted from the "coverage race" of the past few years to a more substantial "capability contest".
這份報告揭示一個殘酷的現實：雖然主要經濟體之間的5G覆蓋差距正在縮小，但網路實際效能的差距卻在擴大。截至2025年第四季，全球5G獨立組網的可用性樣本佔比達17.6%，意味著全球約有六分之一的5G連線已經運行在純5G核心網路架構上。
However, the experiences vary drastically from region to region.
The Gulf states have achieved hegemony, while Europe struggles to catch up.
The most striking data in the report comes from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. Benefiting from the aggressive deployment of 5G Advanced technology by operators such as Emirates Telecom (e&) and du, the region's median 5G SA download speed reached 1.13 Gbps in the fourth quarter of 2025, which is almost five times faster than similar networks in Europe.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) set a global benchmark with an astonishing median speed of 1.24 Gbps. This is attributed to their proactive use of four-carrier aggregation (4CC) and enhanced MIMO technologies, as well as their priority allocation of valuable mid-band spectrum to SA networks, demonstrating the explosive power that a "fully functional" 5G network should possess.
In contrast, the US has completed 5G SA deployments across all Tier-1 carriers, with a median download speed of approximately 404 Mbps. While Europe is rapidly catching up, with its sample size more than doubling, its median speed is only 205 Mbps, and it still lags behind North America by about 27 percentage points in SA adoption. This reflects the fragmented challenges the European market still faces in terms of spectrum allocation depth and investment in equipment upgrades.
Is 5G SA really better? It's 52% faster and can even save battery on your phone.
Many consumers often ask, "What are the benefits of upgrading to 5G SA for me?" The report provides a quantitative answer.
Global data shows that 5G SA networks offer download speeds 52% faster than non-standalone (NSA) networks, and multi-server latency is also improved by 6%.
But the more interesting discovery was in "battery life".
5G has long been considered a "power-hungry monster," but a report indicates that on EE's 5G SA network in the UK, device battery discharge time is approximately 22% longer than on NSA networks (O2 has an 11% advantage). This is because the SA architecture uses a unified control plane, eliminating the extra power consumption required by NSA architecture where phones need to maintain both 4G and 5G connections simultaneously. This confirms that 5G SA is not only faster but also more power-efficient after architectural optimization.
User experience optimization and monetization: Network slicing becomes key
However, simply switching to the SA core network architecture does not guarantee a better experience. Data shows that while SA performs better than NSA in terms of latency in cloud infrastructure, game latency in some regions (such as Europe) is not as expected.
This highlights the importance of "end-to-end optimization"—SA alone is not enough; the location of the data center, the depth of the fiber optic backhaul network, and the network routing strategy are the key factors that determine the end-user experience (QoE).
In terms of business models, operators are also beginning to explore new monetization strategies. Besides the tiered pricing common in Europe, Singapore, France, and the United States have begun implementing network slicing services, providing guaranteed bandwidth and low latency for specific applications (such as cloud gaming or enterprise private networks). China has gone a step further, launching segmented service plans for 5G Advanced.
Analysis of viewpoints
This report actually points out a "watershed" moment in the communications industry.
In the past few years, the "5G" icon displayed on our phones mostly referred to "half-5G" (non-standalone) networks connected to the 4G core network. It won't be until 2026, with the US completing its SA deployment and the Gulf countries rushing to 5G-A, that we will truly enter the era of "true 5G".
For consumers, the most noticeable benefit might not be the 1 Gbps speed (after all, watching YouTube doesn't require that much speed), but rather "power saving." If 5G SA can increase phone battery life by 20%, this will be the biggest incentive for users to upgrade.
However, from a geopolitical perspective, this is also a warning sign. 5G SA has been regarded by various countries as the infrastructure for AI development and digital sovereignty. The Gulf countries have gained a leading advantage in digital infrastructure through national-level strategic investments; on the other hand, if Europe continues to be constrained by regulations and fragmented investment, it may face the risk of falling behind in infrastructure in the upcoming AI era.
The future 5G competition will no longer be about who has more base stations, but about who can use software-defined cores and network slicing technology to turn bandwidth into "services" that can be precisely monetized.
