GSA’s findings include 97 operators are investing in D2D satellite technology, 35 in 5G-Advanced and 95 operators have launched 5G Standalone service – up 42% since Q1 2025
GSA (Global mobile Suppliers Association) published its latest State of the Market report – a detailed overview of the global status of 5G networks, devices, spectrum and services. The report finds the 5G market is entering a more selective and strategic phase of development, after the launch period. Now the industry is focused more on network quality, architectural maturity and service differentiation.
Joe Barrett, President of GSA, commented, “This shift is most clearly visible in 5G Standalone which now underpins much of the industry’s next wave of innovation, including 5G RedCap [reduced capability], network slicing and more advanced enterprise offers”
He added, “These trends all point to a market that is no longer defined…by how many 5G networks exist, but by what those networks are becoming. 5G in 2026 will be shaped by standalone adoption, ecosystem readiness and the ability of operators to translate technical capability into commercial value.
Report’s key takeaways
Global 5G continues to expand: 392 operators have launched 5G networks, up 14% from March 2025, reflecting 44% of total LTE and 5G networks.
Spectrum is the essential enabler of the next phase of 5G’s growth, and beyond that 6G: in the last year, 11 5G auctions have been completed across the world, for an average price of $663.4 million.
The 5G device market is growing rapidly, but the more meaningful story is how it is broadening. GSA found there are 4,256 announced 5G devices, up 24% from the same time last year. By comparison, there are 29,024 LTE devices.
5G Standalone is becoming the clearest marker of market maturity: 95 operators have launched a 5G Standalone service, highlighting – up 42% since Q1 2025.
5G-Advanced is still at an early stage, but its growth rate is a clear indication of where the market is heading: 35 operators are investing in 5G-Advanced, an increase of 71% over last year, and 11 operators have launched a service.
Private mobile networks (P5G) indicates 5G’s opportunity extends beyond consumer services: manufacturing is a strong adopter of mobile private networks, with 374 identified customer deployments, followed by the education and academic research sector with 169 customers deploying it.
Satellite-mobile connectivity is moving from experiment to commercial reality: 97 operators are investing in satellite-to-device/cellphone connectivity and eight chipsets are available that are compatible with the technology.
Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) is one of 5G’s strongest, most visible commercial success stories: 394 operators have launched a 5G fixed wireless service and another 29 investing in the technology; an increase of 59% since June 2025.
The GSA State of the Market reports contains the latest global data behind all these trends and developments, as of the end of March 2026. All of the detail behind the data is available exclusively to GSA Members and Associates.
