The Business Case for 5G Standalone

Panel Discussion

In the final session of the Great Telco Debate, we tackled one of the industry’s defining questions: Does 5G standalone (5G SA) have enough runway to delay the need for 6G? With a lively audience and sharp expert witnesses, the panel explored whether 5G SA can deliver the return on investment, features and flexibility operators need before leaping to the next generation. Watch the debate to see where the industry lands.

Recorded December 2025

Participants

Anita Döhler

CEO, NGMN Alliance

Beth Cohen

Telco Industry Analyst, Luth Computer

Itsuma Tanaka

President & CEO, Docomo Communications Laboratories Europe GmbH

Thierry van de Velde

Global Core Networks Presales Leader, Cloud and Network Services, Nokia