KT will be the first among domestic carriers to offer 5G standalone (SA) service on iPhone. KT said on the 26th that users will be able to use 5G SA mode on five models in the iPhone 17 lineup after completing the regular iOS 26.4 update. The eligible models are iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, and iPhone 17e.
5G SA is a method that provides communication services using only the 5G network without the help of the LTE network. It is evaluated as a step forward from the existing NSA method that uses LTE and 5G together. By handling all signals and traffic on the 5G network, it can improve response speed, and battery efficiency also improves because an LTE consolidation is not required. Another advantage is that communication remains relatively stable even during LTE network failures or disasters.
KT first commercialized 5G SA in Korea through Samsung Electronics smartphones in 2021, and this time it has expanded to iPhone. In Oct. 2024, it also commercialized VoNR, a 5G voice call service, for the first time in Korea. KT said it completed network verification in cooperation with Apple based on the technology and operational know-how it has accumulated.
KT plans to accelerate advancement of SA-based technologies such as network slicing. Through this, it aims to strengthen core infrastructure competitiveness that supports the spread of Autonomous Driving, smart factories, and AI services. Kwon Hee-geun, senior vice president and head of KT's Marketing Innovation Division, said, "With the commercialization of iPhone 5G SA, we will provide customers with the best service amid the evolution of communication technology leading to 6G."