5G-Advanced: Expanding 5G for the connected world

5G-Advanced is set to evolve the 5G system to its fullest capabilities. It will comprise a large set of innovations offering a plethora of benefits for network and system operators, end-users and verticals. 5G-Advanced will include features that will be specified in 3GPP Release 18 and beyond, including, among others, improved coverage and capacity, enhanced end-user experience and expanded capabilities beyond connectivity. It will introduce enhancements needed for more demanding applications, such as mobile extended reality and haptic applications. 5G-Advanced will inject more intelligence into the network, utilizing machine learning to adapt to the environment, boost performance and manage complex optimizations. It will also bring mobile broadband to new classes of devices (e.g. extended reality, reduced capability devices, new sidelink innovations, reduced bandwidth operation) and open 5G to new sectors. Energy efficiency will be central to 5G-Advanced, both in maximizing device battery life and in reducing network power consumption. As the initial program for 5G-Advanced takes shape in 3GPP, this paper provides an overview of the key technology enhancements to be expected.