Decoding 5G standards Release 15 to 18 for edge video IoT

Understanding the 3GPP roadmap is essential for strategists planning edge delivery and hardware lifecycles. Release 17’s RedCap bridges the gap between low-power sensors and high-bandwidth streaming, allowing for cost-effective HD video IoT deployments that bypass the complexity of full 5G NR. As Release 18 integrates AI, the focus shifts from raw speed to intelligent resource allocation in congested urban cells, directly impacting Quality of Service for mobile viewers. Engineers should prioritize transition plans from LTE Cat-1/4 to RedCap hardware to leverage 5G-native features like network slicing. Watch for the finalization of Release 18 protocols in mid-2024 to trigger the next wave of industrial and media-specific module commercialization.

The commercial shift toward 5G-Advanced is gaining momentum as legacy vendors navigate a maturing market. Per Nokia and Ericsson’s January 2025 financial reports, both firms saw a surge in private 5G sales to enterprises, with Nokia reaching approximately 850 customers globally. This growth is critical as traditional radio access network (RAN) revenues have faced pressure; Dell’Oro Group estimated a $5 billion drop in annual RAN market revenues between 2022 and 2024. Consequently, vendors and operators are pivoting toward the monetization of specialized 5G-Advanced features, such as network APIs and advanced positioning, to offset slower consumer mobile broadband growth.

In the media sector, the transition to 5G-Advanced is particularly focused on uplink performance to support interactive and tactile applications. According to GSMA Intelligence reporting from March 2025, the media industry leads early private 5G adoption, accounting for 22% of current deployments alongside smart cities. These users rely on the high-speed, reliable uplinks standardized in Release 18 for live broadcasting and computer vision tools. Furthermore, GSMA projects that RedCap and its subsequent iteration, eRedCap, will account for 60% of all cellular IoT connections by 2029 as operators sunset legacy 2G and 3G networks.

Industry momentum is also building around Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) as a primary 5G monetization tool. ABI Research noted in early 2024 that 5G-Advanced will enable FWA deployments to reach throughput levels up to 10 Gbps using new spectrum and large antenna arrays. By late 2025, GSMA Intelligence forecasts that 5G connections will reach 2.7 billion globally, representing a 30% penetration rate. This scale, combined with the AI-native networking capabilities of Release 18, is expected to provide the infrastructure necessary for widespread XR media and multi-user metaverse applications in high-density environments.