Five years into the current 10-year 5G generational cycle, the industry is still working to unlock the full promise of 5G Standalone (SA). SA’s cloud-native core, slicing capabilities, and differentiated Quality of Service were expected to accelerate new services, especially for enterprise and industrial markets. But deployments remain slower and more uneven than predicted—not because the technology isn’t ready, but because operations aren’t.
The reality is this: moving from early 5G to full SA isn’t just a network upgrade. It’s a transformation in how services are orchestrated, assured, monetized, and automated across the entire business. And that shift continues to be harder—and more foundational—than many expected.
Why 5G SA Adoption IS Moving More Slowly Than Forecasted
Early expectations for SA were ambitious. Operators anticipated rapid activation of ultra-low latency services, widespread slicing use cases, and new revenue streams in industrial sectors. But as SA matures, a different picture has emerged.
1. Operational complexity has exceeded expectations
Cloud-native network functions introduce flexibility, but they also require a new level of orchestration, assurance, and lifecycle management. Coordinating distributed workloads across hybrid cloud environments—while delivering reliability to millions of subscribers—demands new skill sets, new processes, and new tooling.
2. Back-end systems weren’t built for SA-grade automation
Many legacy BSS/OSS platforms can’t support the real-time responsiveness needed for slicing, dynamic SLAs, or usage-based charging. Even when the network is ready, the systems that monetize and manage it often aren’t—creating friction and slowing service rollout.
3. New 5G use cases demand new operating models
Enterprises are looking for localized cores, advanced security controls, and programmable service tiers. These expectations place pressure on internal teams to deliver customization, automation, and visibility across the entire service lifecycle. Without modern operational support systems, these use cases become difficult to scale or price accurately.
4. The network must power AI—and support it
As AI inference moves to the edge for latency, privacy, and cost reasons, the network becomes a strategic compute platform. Operators need to automate and orchestrate workloads at scale. Manual workflows and siloed data make this nearly impossible, creating another barrier between SA capabilities and commercial impact.
Modern B/OSS: The Missing Link Between 5G Vision And 5G Reality
5G SA represents a shift toward programmable, intent-driven infrastructure. But the network alone can’t deliver these benefits. Operators need a B/OSS platform that is:
- Cloud-native to match the architecture of the 5G core
- Flexible enough to support usage-based, event-driven, and API-driven models
- Open and API-driven to integrate partner ecosystems and enterprise systems
- Built for automation, reducing friction across provisioning, activation, billing, and assurance
- Capable of supporting hybrid, multi-vendor environments without slowing down operations
Without this foundation, many of the advanced capabilities promised by SA—especially those tied to enterprise revenue—remain difficult to monetize at scale.
Where IDI Helps Operators Move Faster, Smarter, And With Less Complexity
To unlock the business impact of 5G SA, providers need an operational backbone that’s modern, modular, and built for the next decade—not the last one.
IDI Billing Solutions offers exactly that.
Our cloud-based platform is built for the next generation of telecom services. It helps providers:
- Launch and monetize advanced 5G offerings, including usage-based, event-driven, and API-driven models
- Handle high-volume, real-time transactions across millions of connected devices
- Eliminate data silos through unified customer, device, and service management workflows
- Integrate cleanly with partner ecosystems and enterprise systems through open Web APIs
- Strengthen automation with flexible workflows for provisioning, activation, and assurance
- Operate with confidence through enterprise-grade security aligned to rigorous frameworks like NIST, SOC 1/SOC 2, PCI DSS, and HIPAA-ready controls
With nearly 30 years of communications experience, IDI helps providers to modernize operations, simplify complexity, and create the operational foundation needed to compete in a 5G-first world.
Operators Who Modernize Their Foundations Will Lead The 5G-Advanced Era
5G SA adoption is accelerating, and its importance will only grow as 5G-Advanced comes into focus. The operators who invest in modernizing their operational backbone—not just their network—will be the ones who deliver differentiated services, scale into enterprise markets, and capture the next wave of revenue growth.
Bridging the 5G gap starts with building a smarter, more adaptable B/OSS foundation. IDI Billing Solutions helps providers make that shift and turn 5G investments into meaningful growth.
Ready To Build A Better Experience?
Call us at 800.208.6151 or book a consultation today to explore how IDI Billing Solutions can accelerate your 5G strategy and support your next stage of growth.