# 3 GPP Evolution from 5G to 6G: A 10-Year Retrospective
## 8 What Should 6G Standardization Do Differently?
interface latency reductions below 1 ms as a performance metric for 5G offered minimal practical benefits because other aspects, such as transport latency and application-layer latency, become dominant factors shaping the user experience at this level. Similarly, the heavy emphasis on peak data rates (at least 20 Gbps in downlink and 10 Gbps in uplink) set unrealistic expectations about 5G capabilities. The theoretical peak data rates rarely translated to real-world experiences for most users. 6G standardization should focus on realistic and meaningful performance improvements. Instead of over-optimizing for extreme scenarios, 6G should focus on requirements that are grounded in real-world demand. It is more meaningful to prioritize broader user experience metrics, such as joint rate-latency-reliability requirements. Additionally, instead of emphasizing peak data rates, 6G should deliver meaningfully improved user-experienced data rates, particularly at lower-percentile performance levels;  
**Lesson #3: Multiple architecture choices in 5G created unnecessary complexity and delayed adoption. **  
3 GPP specified many architecture options for combining 4G LTE and 5G NR, with only two options, NSA and SA, eventually deployed in commercial networks. NSA mode was designed to accelerate early 5G rollouts, leveraging the 4G core network. However, it required tight interworking between 4G and 5G components. SA mode enabled 5G to operate with its own 5G core network, unlocking the full capabilities of 5G, but deploying SA required a more significant infrastructure overhaul and took longer to roll out. As a result, operators had to deploy NSA first to meet market demands for 5G services quickly, then transition to SA later. This dual-phase rollout resulted in increased costs for operators, fragmentation in the ecosystem, and the delayed realization of SA-specific benefits. 6G standardization should focus on standalone architecture from the start. A single standalone mode ensures that 6G is deployed with its dedicated core network and RAN from the outset, avoiding transitional phases and complexities. Operators can focus resources on deploying one robust architecture, reducing the costs and operational overhead associated with dual-mode support. Device manufacturers and vendors can concentrate efforts on a single ecosystem, leading to faster development cycles, simplified testing, and accelerated adoption;  
**Lesson #4: Bit transport alone limits telcos to \"dumb pipes\" and restricts growth opportunities. **  
5G enhancements have largely concentrated on improving throughput, latency, and spectral efficiency. Relying solely on bit transport confines telecommunications operators to the role of \"dumb pipes\", where their networks merely facilitate data flow without capturing value from the services or insights that ride on them. It sidelines operators from higher-value ecosystems dominated by cloud providers, over-the-top players, and application developers. As a result, this model leads to the commoditization of operators' business and restricts revenue growth. This, in turn, has made some operators hesitant to invest in 5G infrastructure. 6G standardization should focus on integrating computing, AI, and sensing to enable multi-tenancy. In the 6G era, mobile networks will merge with cloud services to provide compute-as-a-service, enabling a connected, intelligent edge with AI and communications running on a shared infrastructure, i.e., multi-tenancy. Future networks must evolve to become platforms for data production, processing, and consumption, enabling operators to extract value beyond pure data transport. The integration of sensing capabilities allows networks to act as sensors, detecting and interpreting data such as object movement, environmental changes, and user contexts.