5G’s Commercial Shift: From Promise to Reality

The telecommunications sector is transitioning 5G from a phase of promise to one of commercial application.

Major operators are now deploying more advanced network architectures and focusing on business models designed to generate returns on substantial infrastructure investments.

This evolution is centred on the adoption of 5G Standalone (SA) networks and cloud-native principles.

The migration away from networks dependent on 4G infrastructure allows operators to introduce new features more rapidly, increase automation and provide services that are both scalable and resilient.

It is projected that the 5G mobile core market segment will grow by 15% in 2025, a development resulting from new 5G SA network launches.

Andre Fuetsch of Crosspoint Capital Partners notes: “Maturing our 5G Standalone networks is enabling substantial enterprise value across industries.”

"Our nationwide deployment of 5G RedCap for IoT applications and priority network slicing for public safety transforms business connectivity.”

Monetising 5G with FWA and network APIs

Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) has emerged as the most direct strategy for monetising 5G investments.

A report from Deloitte refers to FWA as “the sole current path for 5G monetisation.”

Operators are using mid-band spectrum to offer competitive broadband services for both homes and businesses.

According to industry analysis, global FWA adoption is expected to increase by 20% year-on-year in 2025.

For enterprise clients, network Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and open gateways are creating new revenue opportunities. The GSMA Open Gateway initiative is working to standardise network APIs across different operators.

This standardisation allows software developers to integrate network functions such as enhanced quality of service, location data or SIM-based identity verification into their applications.

With 73 operator groups that cover approximately 80% of global mobile connections now committed to the initiative, telecommunication companies are positioning APIs as a substantial factor for B2B growth.

Kearney’s 2025 5G Success Index has termed this period the “Impact Era” where mature 5G networks could realise their commercial potential through services based on APIs.

Open RAN and strategic priorities

The development of Open RAN, a technology that disaggregates radio hardware from software, is proceeding with caution.

Research from EY conducted in July 2024 reveals that 58% of telecom executives anticipate only limited deployment of Open RAN in wide-area networks by the end of 2025.

Furthermore, ABI Research forecasts that wider adoption is more likely to occur after 2027.

For the immediate future, operators are prioritising strategies with proven revenue paths such as FWA and network APIs.

Open RAN is being treated as a longer-term strategic initiative for future network architecture.

Laying the groundwork for 6G

While focusing on monetising 5G the industry is also preparing for the next generation of wireless technology 6G.

In 2025, the 3GPP a standards organisation, is defining service requirements for its Release 20 specifications.

The subsequent Release 21 will mark the formal commencement of technical work on 6G aligned with the IMT-2030 framework from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

The first commercial 6G systems are anticipated in the early 2030s.

6G is expected to be more than an incremental upgrade over 5G.

It plans to integrate artificial intelligence for creating autonomous networks, combine sensing and communication capabilities, and provide seamless connectivity across terrestrial, satellite and aerial networks.

Expected technical capabilities include data transmission rates exceeding one terabit per second and latency measured in microseconds.

Potential applications could include real-time holographic meetings, city-scale digital twins, fully autonomous transportation, and immersive mixed-reality experiences.

In a LinkedIn post, Magnus Frodigh, Vice-President at Ericsson Research, said: “Through our collaborative 6G research, Ericsson is ensuring not only a connected, intelligent society but also one that is inclusive, connecting the unconnected and enabling digital opportunities globally.”

Magnus highlights the focus on both technological advancement and social inclusion in the development of 6G.

The telecommunications landscape in 2025 is thus defined by this dual objective of commercialising 5G technologies while simultaneously investing in the foundational research for 6G to shape the future of global connectivity.