Paraguay’s Standalone 5G with Räckvidd RF Drive Test Software & Indoor coverage walk testing

Paraguay is entering a phase of planned standalone (SA) 5G deployments that combine fresh spectrum allocations, new operator entry, and targeted infrastructure investments. The program signals a regional shift: operators and regulators in parts of Latin America are moving from early non-standalone deployments toward native 5G cores and services that require end-to-end design changes. This note describes the technical choices, operational steps, likely constraints, and practical recommendations for engineering teams preparing to deploy SA 5G in Paraguay and similar markets. So, now let us see if Paraguay’s Standalone 5G Build Meet Real-World Performance and Scale along with RantCell’s LTE RF drive test tools in telecom & RF drive test software in telecom and RantCell’s Indoor cellular coverage walk testing tool in detail.

Spectrum and regulatory groundwork

Regulatory action set the technical foundation. Paraguay’s spectrum reallocation and recent assignments in the 3.5 GHz band provide the mid-band capacity typical for initial SA deployments. Mid-band spectrum offers a balance of coverage and throughput useful for mobile broadband and fixed wireless access (FWA). The regulator’s adjustments to national frequency plans also explicitly enabled fixed wireless use cases, which lowers the barrier for operators to provide broad coverage without complete fiber builds. These policy moves are the enabling condition for a practical, rapid SA rollout. 

New entrant model and infrastructure approach

A notable element of the current program is the entry of a new regional operator that plans to build a full standalone 5G network from scratch with multi-year investment commitments. A greenfield SA build has technical advantages and risks: it allows modern cloud-native core design, microservice orchestration, and automated lifecycle management from day one, but it needs mature supplier chains and engineering processes for integration, testing, and operations. In practice, a greenfield approach typically involves:

• Designing a cloud-native 5GC (5G Core) that supports network slicing, service-based architecture (SBA), and standardized management APIs.
  • Selecting a RAN strategy: a distributed RAN with cloud RAN (vRAN) components or a traditional split with virtualized BBU and edge compute nodes.
  • Allocating mid-band and higher frequencies for access, with planning for site density, backhaul capacity, and edge locations to host low-latency applications. 

Key technical priorities for SA networks

1. Core-to-edge design: SA allows features that matter operationally — dynamic slicing, session and user plane separation, and edge-local breakout. Teams must architect the core to permit automated instantiation of network slices and integrate edge compute nodes with consistent orchestration APIs.
2. RAN virtualization and fronthaul/backhaul: vRAN and open fronthaul interfaces give flexibility but introduce transport constraints. Operators need precise link budgets and deterministic fronthaul to meet latency SLAs. For Paraguay, where fiber availability varies, hybrid solutions combining fiber, microwave, or mmWave transport are likely. Planning must include link diversity and capacity headroom for peak events.
3. Automation and telemetry: Full lifecycle automation (CI/CD for network functions, automated fault detection, and policy-driven scaling) reduces OPEX and speeds troubleshooting. Telemetry schemas that capture RAN KPIs, transport statistics, and core session metrics are essential to support ML-assisted operations and SLA enforcement.
4. FWA and indoor coverage optimization: Given regulatory support for 5G FWA, network planners should include static subscriber profiles, CPE provisioning flows, and QoS classes for fixed subscribers. Indoor coverage solutions (small cells, DAS, or CPE with external antennas) will be required to reach enterprise and residential premises at scale.

Operational constraints and supply chain

A new operator building a national SA network must address equipment sourcing, integration risk, and skills gaps. High-frequency components, specialized antennas, and integrated baseband units have lead times. Local integration teams need training on cloud-native operations, container orchestration, and virtualized network functions. The operator risk profile includes possible delays in tower access, limited fiber backhaul in remote zones, and challenges in systems integration if preferred vendor stacks are constrained by procurement or policy.

Independent observers note that greenfield entrants sometimes face validation hurdles around equipment certification and procurement compliance. These factors must be part of rollout risk modeling and contingency planning. 

Performance testing and acceptance criteria

For SA networks, acceptance testing must validate end-to-end behavior, not just radio KPIs. Test plans should include:

• Throughput and latency across slices and edge sites.
  • Session continuity under handover and during core failover scenarios.
  • Deterministic behavior of QoS flows for FWA and mobile broadband.
  • Interoperability tests against roaming or legacy networks that remain non-SA.

Specific test harnesses that emulate peak loads and IoT density are required to tune scaling policies and autoscaling thresholds in the core and edge layers.

Scaling in phases: pragmatic rollout sequencing

A phased rollout minimises integration risk:

1. Pilot zone: Deploy a small number of sites with full vRAN + 5GC integration and edge compute to validate slice instantiation and closed-loop telemetry.
2. Metro expansion: Move to urban cores where backhaul and tower density are favorable and capacity demand is highest.
3. Regional fill: Use FWA to extend services to towns and peri-urban areas while deploying targeted fiber extension for future growth.
4. Rural strategy: For low-density areas, a mix of FWA and selective fiber investments provides coverage while controlling cost.

This phasing aligns with regional market realities: initial revenue capture in denser urban centers funds broader coverage. Analysts tracking Latin America note increased SA activity across countries, reflecting a trend toward full-stack deployments rather than piecemeal upgrades. 

Security and resiliency engineering

SA architectures move critical control functions into software that runs on commercial cloud stacks. Teams must define hardened images for control plane functions, strict key management for inter-domain APIs, and multi-zone redundancy for the core. Edge nodes require secure boot, signed function images, attested configurations, and granular role-based access control for management channels. Incident response playbooks must cover failover, slice isolation, and rapid rollback paths for software updates.

Cost drivers and unit-economics

Major drivers are mid-band spectrum fees, tower and site leasing, backhaul provisioning, and upfront core development. Operators should model OPEX under different slicing scenarios to set pricing for enterprise slices, public consumer plans, and FWA bundles. Investment projections tied to subscriber adoption curves will inform whether incremental capacity (more sites or more spectrum) is more cost-effective than densifying existing sites.

Recommendations for engineering teams

• Prioritise automated CI/CD for core functions and a robust telemetry model.
  • Design a modular RAN strategy that allows hybrid transport and staged virtualization.
  • Prepare realistic acceptance tests that validate slice behavior and edge latency under load.
  • Work with regulators early to secure spectrum and coordinate testbed windows.
  • Include supplier lead times and local integration training in the critical path for launch.

Conclusion

Paraguay’s planned SA builds show a practical move by the region toward full 5G capabilities. The technical program requires aligned choices across spectrum, core design, transport, automation, and security. A greenfield operator can leverage modern cloud-native architectures to deliver advanced services, but success depends on rigorous systems integration, measured scaling, and early coordination with regulators and testbeds. Teams that follow disciplined test, validation, and automation practices will reduce rollout risk and accelerate stable SA operations. 

About RantCell

RantCell enables end-to-end testing for 4G and 5G mobile networks, helping teams assess application performance and user experience under real-world conditions. It supports OTT testing for major platforms and provides live dashboards, analytics, and automated reporting for faster decision-making. Ideal for drive tests, in-building checks, or lab validation setups. Also read similar articles from here.