Release 16 offers many enhancements to the very foundation of 5G when it comes to coverage, capacity, latency, power, mobility, reliability, ease of deployment, etc.

It is the first release to focus on massive machine type communication (mMTC) and ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC). This means that a formal distinction can be made between standalone non-public networks – like isolated MPNs with their own fully functional 5G networks – and public network-integrated non-public networks, which consider private networks as slices of 5G public networks.

These enhancements offer new frontiers in support for non-public networks, industrial IoT, ultra-reliable and low-latency applications, location and positioning, and more.