NSA
Non-Stand-Alone
A version of 5G that relies on a corresponding 4G network to function. The 4G network is the primary network, handling voice, text messaging, and setting up data sessions that happen over 5G.
NSA was a temporary bridge technology that allowed the deployment of 5G data service before the other aspects of 5G technology were finalized and ready. The first wave of 5G networks in the US all used the NSA version of 5G. They later upgraded to the SA (Stand-Alone) version of 5G, which is feature-complete and does not rely on 4G networks.
See: SA
See: 5G NR
Last updated Apr 23, 2026 by Rich Brome
Editor in Chief Rich became fascinated with cell phones in 1999, creating mobile web sites for phones with tiny black-and-white displays and obsessing over new phone models. Realizing a need for better info about phones, he started Phone Scoop in 2001, and has been helming the site ever since. Rich has spent two decades researching and covering every detail of the phone industry, traveling the world to tour factories, interview CEOs, and get every last spec and photo Phone Scoop readers have come to expect. As an industry veteran, Rich is a respected voice on phone technology of the past, present, and future.
