The move to 5G continues as the 3GPP TSG plenary meeting approved the stand-alone 5G standard known as Release 15.

According to Kyocera Corp., the release of the most recent standards sets up the industry for the 

final dash toward commercialization of 5G. The latest specs means service providers will be able to do independent 5G deployments as well as deployment of end-to-end 5G network architecture.

Stand-Alone 5G Standard

Balázs Bertényi, Chairman of 3GPP TSG RAN, said, in a prepared statement: “The freeze of Standalone 5G NR radio specifications represents a major milestone in the quest of the wireless industry towards realizing the holistic 5G vision. 5G NR Standalone systems not only dramatically increase the mobile broadband speeds and capacity, but also open the door for new industries beyond telecommunications that are looking to revolutionize their ecosystem through 5G.”

Several others from various aspects of the industry also said the approved specifications were a significant milestone. Below are just a few of their thoughts:

“Commercial 5G services are closer than ever with the completion of 3GPP Release 15,” said Hank Kafka, VP, Access Architecture and Standards, for AT&T in a prepared statement. “This milestone will allow for more advanced testing using standards-compliant equipment and paves the way for our commercial 5G launch in a dozen cities later this year.”

“Congratulations to 3GPP, we are excited to be a part of the completion of this important milestone,” said Mariam Sorond, Dish Network VP of technology development. “5G is set to be a paradigm shift for the industry and the completion of standalone (SA) 5G new radio (NR) specifications will enable new entrants to usher in innovative solutions.”

“As the world prepares for 5G network deployments later this year, Intel is proud to have worked alongside our industrial partners to complete the standalone (SA) 5G new radio (NR) specification,” said Asha Keddy, Intel VP and GM, Next Generation and Standards, in a prepared statement. “This new air interface is another major step in our journey to power this first wave of 5G.”