Report warns of widening 5G capability gap
As next-generation networks become the backbone of AI, industry and digital sovereignty strategies, the question is no longer who has 5G, but who can truly harness its full power.
A new study by network analytics firm Ookla finds that while global 5G coverage gaps are narrowing, a deeper divide is emerging in network capabilities, with Europe falling behind. The report argues that the real competition is no longer about basic rollout, but about how effectively countries deploy advanced standalone (SA) 5G networks to support innovation, industry, and high-performance services.
According to the findings, North America and leading Asian markets have moved more decisively toward full standalone 5G architectures, achieving faster speeds and improved responsiveness. Gulf Cooperation Council countries have also advanced rapidly, with the region described as a 5G SA performance leader in 2025, delivering median download speeds reportedly more than five times higher than those in Europe.
Europe, by contrast, is characterised as lagging due to slow commercialisation, fragmented device ecosystems, and uneven tariff structures. While some countries, such as Spain, are cited as positive examples, the broader region risks losing ground as others accelerate deployment of 5G Advanced technologies, including enhanced spectrum use and more sophisticated network optimisation tools.
The report highlights national policy frameworks as a decisive factor in 5G competitiveness. Spectrum allocation strategies, infrastructure investment rules, and regulatory innovation are seen as equally important as technical upgrades. The findings come as the European Union advances its proposed Digital Networks Act, which has drawn mixed reactions from industry stakeholders concerned about investment conditions.
Beyond deployment, Ookla stresses that simply launching standalone 5G does not guarantee strong performance. Advanced optimisation strategies, such as cloud-native network design, deeper virtualisation, and improved spectrum efficiency, are key to unlocking the technology’s full potential. Enterprise adoption, initially slow under earlier non-standalone models, is now showing signs of growth, particularly in markets offering network slicing services.
The study concludes that decisions made in the next two years will be critical for long-term digital competitiveness. As 5G increasingly intersects with national AI strategies, industrial policy, and digital sovereignty agendas, countries that treat standalone networks as a strategic priority may gain a structural advantage, while others risk seeing the gap widen further as the transition toward 6G approaches.
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