In telecommunications, 5G is considered the fifth generation of cellular network technology, succeeding the fourth generation (4G) and has been deployed by mobile operators worldwide since 2019.
Unlike older technologies, 5G supports a higher number of devices, making it ideal for the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, smart cities, and connected devices. 5G’s impact extends beyond speed, transforming how we interact with the digital world.
Over the years, the industries benefitting from 5G connectivity have only grown, making 5G networks the nervous system of every economy. According to the GSMA, 5G is expected to yield more than USD 960 billion in additional gross domestic product (GDP) value-add, accounting for approximately 0.70% of the global GDP forecast by 2030. Mid-band 5G will contribute more than USD 610 billion to the global GDP in 2030 (approximately 65% of the total 5G benefit).
Building the Basis of 5G-Advanced
Standardization bodies, specifically 3GPP’s Release 15, have driven advancements in 5G by facilitating the introduction of 5G Standalone (5G SA). In this mode, the 5G New Radio (NR) system operates with a dedicated 5G Core, leveraging cloud-based network functions, without relying on 4G LTE infrastructure.
3GPP Release 15 was followed by Releases 16 and 17, which advanced Industrial IoT (IIoT) with innovations such as support for time-sensitive communication (TSC). These releases also expanded the 5G ecosystem with enhancements in multiple input, multiple output (MIMO), small data transmission (SDT), user equipment energy-saving, and more. Other areas include slicing, edge computing, and support for non-terrestrial networks (NTN).
For mobile operators, these areas presented the opportunity to offer services in industrial environments such as mining and transportation and provided enterprise customers with the opportunity to digitalize their operations and processes. Industry 4.0 is one of the first sectors to truly benefit from 5G services’ ability to enhance productivity and manufacturing.
The launch of Release 18 marks another major evolution in 5G technology, which will lead the industry into the 5G-Advanced era.
Importantly, in 2023, the World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23), held in Dubai, identified the upper portion of the 6 GHz band (6.425-7.125 GHz) for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) across all International Telecommunication Union (ITU) regions, ensuring ample spectrum support for the advancement of 5G and the development of 6G. This move by the WRC-23 is seen as an important milestone in the next phase of 5G development, especially for the mobile sector. Also Read: 6 GHz Spectrum to Transform Regions in 2025
The Modern Wave of Enhanced Connectivity
5G-Advanced delivers a new paradigm of 5G connectivity, bringing significant enhancements to network performance, sustainability, and intelligence.
5G-Advanced makes it possible to address new applications and use cases, bringing new features and AI-based capabilities to 5G RAN, Core, and operating domains. This includes high-precision positioning, improved mobility and time-critical support, enhanced Massive MIMO, and enhanced support for network slicing and exposure. In doing so, this will redefine what’s possible across market segments such as extended reality (XR), industrial automation, 5G devices, and many more.
5G-Advanced shifts 5G network performance into a new gear. Enhancements in Massive MIMO raise system capacity by improving data rates in both uplink and downlink, while the introduction of new handover procedures enables shorter interruption times for seamless mobility.
In the consumer and enterprise space, 5G-Advanced will drive a new wave of commercial opportunities across extended reality (XR), remote control, mobility automation, and reduced capability (RedCap) devices. Enhanced radio access network (RAN) slicing and network exposure will also bring new, exciting innovation possibilities to the 5G era. Additionally, 5G-Advanced enhances RAN intelligence and automation through new architectural enhancements and standardized AI solutions.
Navigating a 5G-Advanced Environment
5G-A, offering a wide bandwidth up to 10 Gbps, latency as low as 4 ms, and high reliability, is poised to meet the region's specific needs in networking, computing, cloud services, and IoT, across various sectors such as healthcare, education, manufacturing, and logistics. In healthcare, for example, 5G-A could enable real-time remote monitoring and telemedicine services, providing critical healthcare access in remote areas. In education, it could transform learning experiences through virtual and augmented reality (AR), making education more accessible and engaging. Moreover, 5G-A is critical for the realization of smart city ambitions in national projects as it facilitates the seamless integration of IoT devices, ensuring efficient resource management and environmental monitoring.
In 2025, commercial 5G-Advanced deployment will accelerate and it will help carriers reshape their businesses, infrastructure, and operations and maintenance (O&M). To take 5G-Advanced one step further, during MWC Barcelona 2025, Huawei proposed the construction of a mobile AI infrastructure to accelerate the network’s evolution, and vice versa. According to Huawei's Chief Strategic Architect, Dang Wenshuan, "to make the most of mobile AI, 5G-Advanced is essential for creating new business value for operators and their vertical partners."
Moreover, 5G-A will herald a new era for the IoT ecosystem, presenting unprecedented connectivity and innovation. With capabilities such as enhanced uplink bandwidth and reduced latency, 5G-A supports a diverse range of IoT applications, enabling the region’s transformation into a digital and innovation hub. This advancement is crucial for industrial sectors aiming to diversify and modernize their operations.
To help operators adapt to this transformation, Huawei has developed intent-driven, AI-centric 5.5G solutions, which include GigaGear, GreenPulse, and GainLeap. These solutions aim to enhance network performance, efficiency, and monetization opportunities. Further expanding on the mobile AI concept, George Cao, President of Huawei’s Cloud Core Network Product Line, charted the evolution of core networks into AI-native systems at MWC Barcelona 2025.
“To meet the requirements of AI-powered smartphones, 5G networks must evolve into 5G-Advanced and integrate AI-native capabilities.”
Notable 5G-Advanced Deployments in the Middle East
The introduction of 5G-Advanced in the Middle East goes beyond technological advancements, redefining business operations and societal dynamics, consequently empowering operators to deliver superior connectivity, while fostering deeper ICT integration, strengthening production processes, and accelerating IoT adoption.
Recently, du successfully demonstrated state-of-the-art 5G-Advanced technology by combining 5G sub-3 GHz and 5G U6 GHz spectrum. This achievement further strengthens du’s leadership in 5G speeds, delivering a peak data transfer rate of 10.56 Gbps. Despite the inherent coverage limitations of high-frequency bands (U6 GHz), this innovative design has successfully bridged the gap, delivering a coverage experience comparable to sub-3 GHz, while offering double bandwidth. du also became the first operator in the MEA region to enhance uplink (UL) performance by 70% on its 5G-Advanced network, addressing the growing demand for faster data transmission and lower latency.
According to du’s CTO, Saleem Alblooshi, du is accelerating the rollout of fiber infrastructure, an equally important aspect in the 5G-Advanced era.
“Fiber is a critical enabler for advancing capabilities across fixed networks, mobile infrastructure, and data center connectivity. Whether it be building a nationwide fiber backbone or addressing last-mile and international connectivity, we are prioritizing accelerated deployment and investment in fiber optics.”
Moreover, du and Huawei are collaborating to spearhead the digital transformation of the UAE. The two parties will establish a 5G-Advanced joint innovation center to explore 5G-Advanced technologies and expand the large-scale commercial use of new services in all scenarios: for consumers, within homes, and for enterprises. Through this center, they aim to accelerate the incubation of commercial applications such as 24K XR, FWA2, and holographic conferencing, and enhance private 5G networks.
Following suit, etisalat by e& set a precedent in the race towards 5G-Advanced by becoming the first to showcase 10 Gbps in the 6 GHz spectrum, utilizing 400 MHz to stride into the future. Furthermore, in 2023, the GSMA 5G Futures Community brought together 19 operators to accelerate the adoption of 5G-Advanced in the Middle East.
stc Group and Ericsson have also pioneered the implementation of automated Remote Radio Planning (RRP) on 5G-Advanced networks. This advancement streamlines network deployment and optimization, reducing operational costs while enhancing coverage and capacity. Nokia has entered the 5G-Advanced era by conducting the world’s first immersive voice and audio call, showcasing next-generation audio technology that significantly enhances call clarity and spatial sound quality.
Ooredoo Kuwait achieved a major milestone in 5G-Advanced connectivity with a breakthrough in mmWave technology. This development bolstered ultra-high-speed connectivity, supporting emerging applications like augmented reality (AR) and industrial automation. stc Bahrain is continuing to drive technological innovation in the 5G-Advanced era, enhancing network capabilities to support digital transformation initiatives across industries.
Similarly, through sustained investments in advanced technologies and customer-centric solutions, Zain KSA has set a new standard for reliable and innovative digital services for a broad customer base. With an impressive 5.5G coverage reaching 66% of the Kingdom’s population, Zain KSA continues to play a pivotal role in supporting a hyper-connected digital society with an enhanced quality of life. As a result, Zain KSA was recognized as the operator with the ‘Best 5G-Advanced User Experience’ in the Middle East during the 18th Telecom Review Leaders’ Summit, held in Dubai.
During the summit, Telecom Review Group, through various keynotes and panel discussions, highlighted the transformative role of 5G-Advanced within the 5G ecosystem. The sessions focused on the immense potential of this cutting-edge technology, particularly its low latency and high-capacity bandwidth connectivity, as well as its synergy with AI. During the event, a launch ceremony celebrated the joint efforts of regulators, operators, and vendors in positioning the Middle East as a global leader in 5G-Advanced technology.
How Will 5G-Advanced Improve Monetization?
The telecom industry is facing significant stagnation in average revenue per user (ARPU). 5G-Advanced aims to curb this by improving monetization across a broad array of connected devices beyond the smartphone. Together with upcoming network slicing innovations, 5G-Advanced is set to enable and expand many exciting new consumer and industrial use cases in 2025 and beyond. These include mobile extended reality (XR) and cloud gaming, IVAS codec, industrial process monitoring and quality control, asset tracking, autonomous vehicle connectivity, industrial automation, real-time financial transactions, and smart wearable electronics.
For example, Huawei launched its Convergent Billing System (CBS) R20 in 2020, making it the first 5G SA network-based monetization solution. Similarly, Nokia’s Network as Code Platform enables network programmability, unlocking new revenue streams, while its AVA Charging SaaS service supports 5G and IoT monetization. Interestingly, a 2022 Nokia survey revealed that 70% of CSPs were considering cloud-based monetization solutions. In Saudi Arabia, Zain partnered with Netcracker to implement network slicing within its 5G core, optimizing its network for monetization. More recently, Mycom introduced a 5G capacity and revenue discovery solution at MWC Barcelona 2025, powered by the GenAie platform, which uses generative AI (GenAI) to identify untapped revenue potential and optimize network performance. These advancements highlight how 5G-Advanced is enabling telecom operators to maximize revenue opportunities.
In an exclusive interview with Telecom Review, Aji Ed, CTO, Nokia MEA, elaborated on this, emphasizing that 5G-Advanced is bound to transform business operating models.
“5G-Advanced will bring out the richest capabilities of 5G over the coming decade, breaking down boundaries and expanding connectivity. From immersive extended reality (XR) experiences to high-precision location, presence, and timing technologies, 5G-Advanced will profoundly transform what you can achieve with your network.”
As such, there is an urgent need to build an intelligent architecture for 5G-Advanced to seamlessly transition to a brighter digital future.
Challenges in 5G-Advanced Deployment
The transition from 5G to 5G-Advanced requires substantial investments in infrastructure upgrades, new hardware, and advanced network management solutions. Operators worldwide are expected to invest billions in modernizing their networks, posing financial constraints, particularly for smaller telecom companies.
The efficient allocation and management of spectrum bands remains a critical challenge in 5G-Advanced deployment. Governments and regulatory bodies must ensure fair and effective spectrum distribution to avoid congestion and interference.
With 5G-Advanced expanding connectivity across industries and smart cities, cybersecurity risks increase as more devices and applications connect to the network. The integration of AI, IoT, and cloud computing introduces new attack surfaces that require robust security measures.
On the second day of the 18th edition of the Telecom Review Leaders’ Summit, an engaging panel discussion titled ‘Cybersecurity Under the Spotlight: Data Privacy and Regulation’ took place. Dr. Stępińska-Ustasiak, President and Co-Founder, Polistratos Institute, advocated for empowering employees with practical cybersecurity skills as a first line of defense.
“Governments should lead the way in cybersecurity, and higher education must introduce new curricula to prepare for modern threats.”
Additionally, while 5G-Advanced offers significant improvements, not all existing 5G devices will be compatible with the new network features. Ensuring a smooth transition from 5G to 5G-Advanced requires device manufacturers, network operators, and consumers to adopt updated hardware.
In recent years, the telecommunications industry has experienced a significant shift towards open and disaggregated network architectures, with Open RAN (ORAN) playing a pivotal role in this transformation. Ericsson studies predict significant commercial deployments with communication service providers (CSPs), as well as the expansion of Open RAN adoption by additional CSPs as the technology matures and stabilizes. This development will warrant seamless integration with 5G-Advanced to achieve a unified network view and efficient coordination.
The Prospective Pathway to 6G
5G-Advanced bridges 5G and 6G by refining AI-driven automation, network slicing, and ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC). 5G systems are currently being deployed at a rapid pace, providing high-speed, low-latency connectivity for a wide range of services. There is no doubt that the ongoing transformation will give rise to challenges beyond what 5G and 5G-Advanced can meet.
The increasing expectations set a clear target for those in the industry and research community: 6G should contribute to an efficient, human-friendly, sustainable society through ever-present intelligent communication. Several 5G-Advanced components can be seen as precursors to some of 6G’s building blocks. Meanwhile, 3GPP Release 21, expected to launch in 2028, will lay the early groundwork for future 6G systems. This will also be the final release that concludes the evolution of 5G-Advanced.
In alignment with this, Nokia and du are collaborating to establish a structured framework for exploring and researching technology concepts for 6G. Under this arrangement, Nokia and du plan to form dedicated teams to explore 6G use cases, applications, and network innovations.
Furthermore, the UAE’s regulatory body, the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) has announced the launch of the fourth updated version of the National Frequency Plan, including the allocation of the 600 MHz and 6 GHz frequency bands for IMT systems.
As a result, the UAE has become one of the first countries in the world to take the initiative to allocate such bands to operators. This plan comes in the context of the practical implementation of the outcomes of the 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-23), held in Dubai, UAE, which garnered the participation of all countries across the world.
The physical operation of these new frequency bands is expected to begin between the years 2025 and 2026. This represents a significant advancement in securing smart city infrastructure, which relies on technologies like IoT, AI, and other Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) innovations. These technologies require high-frequency (HF) bands and ultra-fast data transfer speeds for efficient operation. This new development will also pave the way for the development of 6G services, which are expected to emerge in 2030.
To facilitate the next phase of 6G development, the ITU-R will finalize 6G standards, shaping the next era of mobile connectivity. The IMT-2030 Framework identifies 15 key capabilities, nine of which are derived from 5G, ensuring a smooth transition to 6G.
Related: The Race to 6G: What’s Coming in 2025 and Beyond?
