India 5G Network: The speed of 5G in India is much faster than expected. According to the report of Sweden’s leading telecom company Ericsson, by the end of 2028, there will be about 690 million 5G users in India, which will be about 55% of the total population of the country. With the launch of 5G in 2022, people are increasingly shifting to 5G-ready networks and SIMs, especially through mobile number portability. But in the initial phase of 5G rollout, one question is being asked the most, what are 5G NSA and 5G SA and what is the difference between them?

What is 5G NSA?

NSA means Non-Standalone 5G. In simple language, this is a 5G network that does not work completely on its own. In this, the 5G network is based on the core network of 4G LTE i.e. EPC (Evolved Packet Core). In NSA mode the phone remains connected to both 4G and 5G networks simultaneously. Control is handled by 4G and data is transmitted via 5G. Currently, Airtel and Vi are using this model for the initial 5G rollout in India.

Benefits of NSA

• 5G launch soon at low cost


• Use of existing 4G infrastructure


• Bringing the network to more cities faster

Loss

• Low latency is not available


• power consumption high


• “Pure 5G” not the full experience of

What is SA or Standalone 5G?

SA i.e. Standalone 5G is a completely new and independent network. It neither requires 4G nor its core system. SA 5G works on its own 5G Core and 5G RAN. This technology delivers true 5G experiences such as ultra-low latency, high speeds, and the ability to connect millions of devices simultaneously.

Benefits of SA

• extremely low latency


• More speed and bandwidth


• low power consumption


• Advanced use cases like industrial and smart cities

Loss

• quite expensive


• New infrastructure and training necessary


• Difficult to implement everywhere

5G Networking: What is the difference between SA and NSA?

NSA only provides faster internet, while SA fulfills all three major goals of 5G:

• high speed broadband


• Less than 5 millisecond latency


• Ability to connect up to 10 lakh devices

This is why NSA is considered the initial step and SA is considered the final form of 5G.

What is the benefit to the user in India?

Currently, NSA is being used to quickly bring 5G to every corner in India. If you live in a 5G-ready city and have a 5G phone, you can enjoy 5G speeds on your existing 4G SIM without any new recharge.