T-Mobile has announced several important milestones in its standalone (SA) 5G rollout.

5G networks are currently built on non-standalone (NSA) technology, meaning that the backbone is based on the 4G LTE core, giving compatible devices the ability to connect to with 5G and LTE simultaneously. While still faster than straight LTE, NSA 5G can’t match the potential of an SA 5G network, where all the components are based on the newer tech.

According to T-Mobile, the company has successfully completed a number of significant steps involving SA 5G testing, including the first data session using multi-vendor modems, the first “voice call using Evolved Packet System (EPS) fallback to VoLTE,” and the first low-band voice calls (VoNR) and video calls (ViNR) over production networks. ViNR is particularly significant, as it allows native, high-quality video calls without an app.

“Powerful and reliable wireless networks are more important than ever, and these milestones mark a huge step forward for the entire wireless ecosystem,” said Neville Ray, President of Technology at T-Mobile. “Standalone 5G, paired with the broad and deep network we’re building by combining the assets of T-Mobile and Sprint, will accelerate 5G adoption and services and transform wireless!”

T-Mobile is wasting no time moving forward in their 5G rollout following their merger with Sprint. These latest announcements will pave the way for significant improvements for customers of the magenta network.