The deployment of 5G Standalone (SA) with the 5G core has progressed far slower than vendors had hoped (see item in Special Report), at least in public and macro networks. Some operators struggle to find a business case for the added investment, coming so soon after 5G Non-Standalone build-out; others blame lack of devices or enterprise demand. According to the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA), 36 operators in 21 countries have launched public 5G SA networks, up from 20 a year earlier, which is A further 75 operators, the GSA says, have 5G SA trials, or at least ‘plans to deploy’, though in unspecified timeframes. Operators that have deployed 5G SA in public networks include T-Mobile USA and the three…