3GPP has announced the completion of the standalone (SA) Release 15, 5G specifications paving the way for 5G commercialization. Earlier in Dec. 2017, 3GPP has released the 5G NR specifications for non-standalone (NSA) operation. 

SA specifications bring new end-to-end 5G network architecture complementing the earlier released NSA specifications and allow independent deployment of 5G New Radio.

The 5G System with New Radio and Core Network opens new paradigm of services across various industries & use cases such as industrial automation and is very different from predecessors. 

A number of companies across the globe, including "AT&T, British Telecom, China Mobile,Deutsche Telekom, Ericsson, Huawei, Intel, KT Corp, NEC, Nokia, NTT DOCOMO, Qualcomm, Samsung, SK Telecom, SoftBank, Verizon, Vodafone, Xiaomi and ZTE"  have been involved in the standardization process and endorsed the 3GPP standard  announcement.

“Commercial 5G services are closer than ever with the completion of 3GPP Release 15,” said Hank Kafka, VP Access Architecture, and Standards, AT&T.

Marcus Weldon, President of Bell Labs and Corporate Chief Technology Officer, Nokia, said: "Nokia is proud to have played a significant role in achieving this milestone with excellent global industry cooperation. This milestone connects the 5G radio (NR) to the new 5G Core Network, in line with Nokia’s Future X vision". 

Ed Chan, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Architect of Verizon, said applauded 3GPP’s completion of Release 15 including the Standalone NR System specifications.  Earlier this month, Verizon announced the successful completion of outdoor data sessions based on the 3GPP NR standard and the successful completion of multi-carrier aggregation, boosting the signals into the gigabit range.