5G Advanced and AI set the path to sustainable 6G ecosystems
In its latest white paper, 5G Americas examines the pivotal 5G-Advanced developments outlined in the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Releases 18 through 20 and how these provide a strategic path toward 6G.
The report provides a critical examination of how 5G-Advanced is transforming the wireless landscape with integrated AI capabilities, enhanced IoT scalability, energy-efficient networks, and expanded service potential.
“5G-Advanced represents a major evolutionary milestone in cellular technology — one that harnesses the full potential of artificial intelligence, sustainability, and connectivity to deliver smarter, more resilient networks,” said Viet Nguyen, President of 5G Americas.
AI-native networking is a key innovation in 5G-Advanced that aims to integrate machine learning into the RAN and core infrastructure, enabling zero-touch automation, predictive maintenance, and intent-based Self-Organised Networks. This integration cuts fault detection time by 90% and reduces false alarms by up to 70%.
5G-Advanced will bring energy efficiency breakthroughs. Features such as cell sleep modes, antenna switching, and discontinuous transmission deliver energy savings of up to 56%. At the same time, new ambient IoT technologies pave the way for battery-less device ecosystems.
Latency innovations, such as Low Latency, Low Loss, and Scalable (L4S), throughpt as well as new quality of service (QoS) frameworks, enable networks to support immersive XR and real-time industrial automation with unprecedented reliability.
5G-Advanced will also deliver Spectral Efficiency and NTN Integration. Advanced MIMO techniques and Non-Terrestrial Network support extend high-performance 5G to underserved regions, achieving uplink speeds exceeding 500 Mbps and enabling satellite-based coverage.
“The transition to 5G-Advanced unlocks transformative potential across industries—supporting digital twin applications, private networks, and AI-driven automation for enterprises and governments alike,” said Andrea Brambilla, Head of RAN Evolution, Device Partnership at Nokia and group co-leader of the white paper.
“By building on 5G Standalone, we’re not just enhancing today’s capabilities — we’re driving the full realisation of 5G through 5G Advanced. With the nation’s only 5G Advanced network, T-Mobile is setting the stage for a truly intelligent, sustainable, and nationwide 6G ecosystem,” added Pei Hou, Principal Technology Development Strategist at T-Mobile, and white paper group co-lead.
The paper also outlines the strategic implications for operators, enterprises, and policymakers. With AI, automation, and energy efficiency at its core, 5G-Advanced forms a scalable platform for future monetisation and digital innovation. Regulatory recommendations emphasise the need for updated policies on AI governance, spectrum sharing, NTN licensing, and global harmonisation of IoT standards.
The full white paper is available at www.5GAmericas.org.
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