Standalone(SA) 5G Vs Non-Standalone (NSA)5G

Standalone 5G and non-standalone 5G are essentially two models of 5G deployment. The standlone 5G architecture is based on an end-to-end core 5G network which is built from scratch. The equipments and network functions used in this model are built keeping 5G specifications in mind.

The non-standalone 5G is different from its counterpart in the sense that it offers 5G radio signal using the existing 4G LTE core. To put it in simple words, NSA is a 5G service built over an existing 4G network while SA on the other hand, allows completely independent operation of a 5G service without any interaction with an existing 4G core. 

Which is better?

While the NSA can have a faster roll out considering it uses the existing 4G infrastructure, the standalone 5G is better in many ways. It offers significantly higher speed, ultra-low latency, more capacity, wider coverage, better services and higher scalability compared to the NSA 5G model.

Price difference

While the telecom companies have not commented on the pricing yet, Jio says that its 5G services will be affordable and available to all. Deploying standalone 5G costs more as it requires the entire architecture to be built from start.