FACT · NETWORK TECHNOLOGY
Über 5G standalone (5G SA)
True end-to-end 5G with no LTE dependencies. Lower latency, network slicing, true 5G voice.
Wichtige Fakten
Was ist das?
5G standalone (5G SA) is the mobile-network deployment mode in which both the radio access network and the core network run on 5G specifications. It is defined by 3GPP Release 16 and onwards, and is the "true" 5G as opposed to 5G non-standalone (5G NSA) which piggybacks 5G radio onto an existing LTE core for control signalling.
The practical benefits of 5G SA over 5G NSA:
- Lower latency - typically 10-20 ms vs 20-30 ms on NSA
- Network slicing - operators can create dedicated virtual networks for specific use cases (gaming, emergency services, factory automation, etc.)
- True 5G voice via VoNR (Voice over New Radio), replacing the fallback to VoLTE on NSA
- Enhanced security with stronger authentication and encryption schemes
- Better battery life on the device because the phone doesn't need to maintain a parallel LTE connection
As of October 2025, Berlin reaches 99.97% 5G standalone area coverage - the highest of any German city, per Bundesnetzagentur monitoring. This makes Berlin the strongest 5G SA market in Germany, giving city users the full latency and capacity benefits.
Device support requires both 5G SA radio modem and operator-side activation. Most flagship Android phones from 2021+ support 5G SA; iPhone 13 and newer also support it. Older devices that "do 5G" may still be limited to 5G NSA.