5G has delivered on its promise to deliver faster speeds, lower latency, and improved connectivity. But AI-powered applications and experience-hungry consumers continue to demand more from our 5G networks. We demand more from them, too. Our 5G Advanced network is proof.
The nationwide 5G Advanced network marks another technological leap forward from
The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is the global body that sets the standards for how 5G works. Its latest update, 5G Advanced (Release 18) amplifies network performance with built-in AI and automation.
Never content to just follow the playbook, we worked together with many of our longstanding technology partners to blend elements from the 3GPP’s Release 17 and 18 to set a new standard in network capabilities. Our 5G Advanced network delivers next-level performance and reliability, unlocks the full power of responsive experiences, and helps businesses and consumers leverage cutting-edge technology for improved capacity, efficiency, and lower costs.
Release 17 focused on enhancements to radio access networks (RAN), including beamforming, an antenna technology that directs energy where it’s needed, and multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) technology, which uses multiple antennas to receive and transmit data. Combining those enhancements with the new artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) standards introduced in Release 18 allowed us to make 5G Advanced a reality here and now—and brings us all closer to the widespread adoption of AI and ML in consumer and industry applications.
Carrier aggregation is a crucial technology for realizing the full potential of 5G-Advanced, including the ultra-low latency and high-speed connectivity needed for advanced applications. As part of 5G Advanced, we expanded the carrier aggregation (CA) used in our 5G SA networks to four component carriers for downloads (soon to be five) and two for uploads.
But we’re just getting started. We successfully tested 5G Advanced 6-carrier aggregation on the low-band and mid-band spectrum of the 5G SA production network that set two new download speed records. The first test used a commercially available Samsung Galaxy S25 with the Snapdragon® X80 5G Modem-RF System running test software to reach download speeds of 4.3 Gbps—in real-world conditions.
In a second test, we pushed the boundaries even further by leveraging the brand-new Qualcomm X85 5G Modem-RF on a mobile test device, achieving peak speeds of 6.3 Gbps—and offering a glimpse into the next evolution of 5G Advanced.
The 6-carrier aggregation tests were not just about breaking records and delivering more network firsts. They demonstrate our continual push to always be innovating and evolving with a network that delivers more performance, more reliability, and more use cases that benefit consumers and business.
5G Advanced incorporates AI and ML to optimize network performance and open the door to a multitude of new use cases.
AI and ML enhancements across our 5G Advanced network enable dynamic resource allocation, predictive optimization, and real-time adaptability. It’s also fully backwards compatible, allowing it to co-exist with previous releases and serve legacy 5G devices.
AI-RAN—the next wave of technology—is still in the future. However, we’re using AI technology today to tend to our RAN (Radio Access Network) and shore up the network’s reliability.
After years of talking about download speeds, the growing importance of uplink is changing the conversation. Power users, creators, gamers, and industry agree—the future is interactive, real-time, and cloud-connected. That means uplink speed is the next frontier, and we are changing the way data is transmitted from mobile devices to the 5G Advanced network.
To confirm our commitment to uplink speed, we joined forces with partners Qualcomm and Ericsson to test out an emerging feature called New Radio Dual Connectivity (5G NR-DC).
The proof of concept took place on our 5G SA production network at SoFi Stadium in Southern California. We used Ericsson’s equipment and 5G NR-DC solution to aggregate 2.5 GHz and mmWave spectrum. This allowed us to allocate 60% of the mmWave radio resources for uplink on a mobile test smartphone powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon® X80 5G Modem-RF System. Previous use cases typically allowed up to 20% allocation. We reached a record-breaking peak speed of 2.2 Gbps and showed the world what 5G NR-DC could do.
Innovation never rests, so we set out to see what we could do with 3GPP’s uplink transmit switching (UL Tx Switching) standard—and broke another record doing it. MediaTek contributed a test device with its M90 modem, Nokia provided the equipment from its AirScale portfolio, and
Together, we set a new uplink speed record of 550 Mbps in sub-6 GHz spectrum—proving UL Tx Switching is ready to get switched on.
Carrier aggregation combines the frequency bands from different carriers into a single channel on the network. Imagine a two-lane road that becomes a six-lane superhighway. That’s what carrier aggregation looks like on the 5G Advanced network. Multiple frequency bands provide more room, or bandwidth, for traffic and allow that traffic to move at much faster speeds.
Uplink transmit switching (UL Tx Switching) boosts the upload speeds of data by seamlessly switching between different radio frequencies when sending information from a mobile device to a wireless network. This switching allows the device to find the most efficient frequencies for a given situation, resulting in more uplink capacity and higher uplink speeds.
5G New Radio Dual Connectivity (5G NR-DC) is a technology that allows a mobile device to connect to two 5G base cells at the same time, one serving as a primary cell and the other as a secondary cell. This makes it possible to connect 2.5 GHz spectrum with mmWave spectrum—without relying on an LTE network.
What else is our 5G Advanced network capable of? Take your pick of use cases and experiences.
Gaming, AR/VR, XR, and video calls.
5G Advanced hypes uplink speeds, as well as downloads, using carrier aggregation and tech like Low Latency, Low Loss, Scalable throughput (L4S). The more stable throughput this offers lowers latency for applications. That translates to less lag and buffering for video calls and intense gaming experiences.
Network slicing and mission-critical applications.
Mission-critical applications cannot tolerate even the slightest network unpredictability. 5G Advanced makes it possible to deliver the dedicated, secure connections these applications need using network slicing. We used it to launch
Artificial intelligence and machine learning.
5G Advanced incorporates AI and ML capabilities throughout its radio access network (RAN), core network, and management layers. This enables dynamic resource allocation, predictive optimization, and real-time adaptability. With AI now extending to the air interface, wireless networks have become more responsive and efficient.
RedCap and billions of new devices.
As 5G Advanced evolves with new 3GPP standards, we will continue driving innovation, and with the help of our partners, deploy customized solutions that address real-world demands. Buckle up—our 5G Advanced network is laying the foundation for the transition to 6G.
