The 5G core will be essential to an effective 5G business model that serves multiple enterprise sectors, rather than being constrained by the MNOs’ more usual consumer-centric approach. Only with 5G NR Standalone, and the full cloud-native, sliceable core, will operators be able to exploit the full potential of their new platforms and address high value, high growth segments in a profitable way, rather than being confined to low margin consumer markets or just one or two chosen verticals. This means that deployment of 5G Standalone (SA) – which has a full 5G core rather than relying on an enhanced LTE core like 5G NSA – is being accelerated, by many MNOs, rather than delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic. A…