5G RedCap — also known as NR-Light — has moved decisively from lab trials to commercial service. According to the Global Mobile Suppliers Association (GSA), as of March 2026 some 42 operators across 27 countries are investing in RedCap, spanning trials, planned launches and live networks.
From Pilots to Live Networks
Since GSA’s previous update in September 2025, a wave of operators has switched on RedCap services: Telefonica and Deutsche Telekom in Germany, SoftBank in Japan, M1 in Singapore, MasOrange in Spain and Etisalat (e&) in the UAE. They join earlier launchers including Optus (Australia), T-Mobile and AT&T (USA) and China’s three major carriers.
Policy Tailwind
Regulators are accelerating adoption. China’s MIIT has mandated that all 5G Standalone base stations support RedCap by 2027, and similar signals are emerging from India’s DoT and the European Commission’s 5G Action Plan. For procurement teams planning 2027 CPE cycles, the window to evaluate RedCap is now.
Why It Matters
RedCap bridges the gap between full 5G and low-cost IoT. It keeps advanced features like network slicing while cutting device cost and power — ideal for wearables, industrial sensors, surveillance and mid-tier fixed wireless access. Our RedCap-ready modules and routers let customers serve these mid-tier scenarios without paying for flagship-grade silicon.