5G-Advanced: Why the Core Network Is Now Your Revenue Engine
I recently sat down with Stephen Douglas, market strategy expert for wireless testing solutions, to talk through what 5G-Advanced really means. Not just as a technical evolution, but as a business opportunity. I wanted to share a few of the most compelling takeaways from our discussion — and from Keysight’s 5G-Advanced Core Testing eBook, which I highly recommend to anyone in the space.
From architecture to applications: The shift in 5G thinking
If you’ve been following the 5G journey, you’ll know we’re now well past the hype cycle. The global rollout of 5G Non-Standalone was all about enhanced mobile broadband — faster speeds, better coverage. Then came 5G Standalone, bringing in the 5G core network. But 5G-Advanced? That’s something else entirely.
As Stephen explained, 5G-Advanced (built on 3GPP Release 18 and beyond) marks the third wave of 5G, transforming networks from infrastructure to intelligent platforms. It's where telco meets cloud, artificial intelligence (AI), monetization, and real-time responsiveness. In short: it's where the network stops being a cost center and starts becoming a revenue engine.
And this shift hinges almost entirely on the 5G Core.
The monetization moment
One of the biggest messages from our chat was this: 5G-Advanced is about monetization and enablement, not just speed.
Operators who’ve already implemented 5G Standalone are starting to roll out new, premium-grade services powered by the core. Think ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC), on-demand network slicing, embedded AI, private network enablement, and extended reality. It’s not just innovation for innovation’s sake — it’s targeted capability with real return on investment (ROI).
Keysight’s latest research shows that early movers — around nine major global operators — are already seeing significant advances thanks to 5G-Advanced. Both efficiency and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) have improved. And with programmable core networks, operators can now dynamically charge for quality of service, delivering the kinds of tailored experiences that modern enterprises demand.
But it’s not plug and play
Of course, none of this comes easily.
The complexity of 5G-Advanced, especially in the core, introduces a host of new assurance and testing challenges. Stephen likened it to an à la carte menu with dozens of features and dozens of decisions to make. From non-terrestrial networks and RedCap for Internet of Things (IoT), to UAV support and edge federation, each use case introduces new layers of risk and reward.
That’s where Keysight comes in.
The eBook doesn’t just outline what’s possible, it helps operators plan what’s practical. What to roll out first. What to test and how. And how to align those efforts with commercial strategy rather than just technical ambition.
Final thoughts
5G-Advanced is a chance for operators to move from connectivity providers to experience enablers, but it requires bold action, not a wait-and-see approach. Those who move first will be best positioned to secure high-value enterprise contracts, lead in emerging application spaces, and fully unlock the promise of 5G.
If you’re in the telco space, I strongly encourage you to check out the 5G-Advanced Core Testing eBook and watch the full conversation with Stephen Douglas. There’s no playbook for what’s next, but Keysight’s insights are a great place to start.