After the successful launch of eMBB, everybody is eagerly looking at the next phase of 5G. Industry observers are wondering where the subsequent growth will come from, how the mobile network operators will recoup the enormous investments they have made in deploying 5G, when the exciting applications and use cases we have discussed for years will come to fruition, and what the key enablers will be.


In this long-ranging discussion with John Smee, SVP and Head of Wireless Research at Qualcomm, I explore 5G Advanced, drivers of wide deployments of 5G Stand Alone, and the role of AI in the evolution of 5G, 6G, and beyond.