Both T-Mobile and Verizon are now on the 5G SA slicing path
Verizon's launch is more limited
Analysts tell Fierce that AT&T will move to 5G SA this year
Spring has sprung, and some major U.S. mobile operators are starting to flex their pure 5G muscles.
T-Mobile has had a standalone 5G core since August 2020, slightly longer than any other mobile operator. But the un-carrier didn’t really start to exploit 5G features like network slicing until late 2023. The operator launched its New York first responder slice in September 2024, followed by its T-Priority national first responder slice in early 2025. T-Mobile followed that up with a 5G slice for Disney in the first quarter of 2025.
Verizon launched its nationwide first responder slice this month. Verizon has been experimenting with operational slicing trials since Spring 2024 but this is its first commercial effort.
T-Mobile CTO Santiago “Yago” Tenorio told me at Mobile World Congress in March that plenty of states now support 5G SA. As Retcon Analytics analyst Daryl Schoolar has noted, however, the first responder slice isn’t offered nationwide yet. “It is only in select markets and you have to use a Cradlepoint device,” the analyst said in a LinkedIn comment.
What about AT&T 5G network slicing?
That still leaves AT&T in 5G radios controlled by a 4G core. When do we expect to see AT&T slide into pure 5G?
Analysts don’t know exactly when they think AT&T will move to pure 5G and onto applications like network slicing. The 5G SA part will probably come at some point in 2025.
“Expect network slicing updates in the second half of the year, likely involving AT&T's commercial and FirstNet cores,” offered Asad Khan, 5G research director at SNS Telecom & IT.
“AT&T will eventually get there...with slicing - they are expected to roll out 5G SA in 2025,” suggested Roy Chua, principal at AvidThink.
So, get ready for all three major U.S. mobile operators to finally offer pure 5G by the end of this year.