5G NR Release 16: Start of the 5G Evolution

Standardization of the first release of 5G New Radio has been completed in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project, and the evolution has started. On a high level, the enhancements in Release 16 can be grouped into two categories: improvements of existing features, and introduction of new features addressing new verticals and deployment scenarios. This article provides a brief overview of the enhancements in the first category, followed by a more in-depth discussion of features in the second category. These features include integrated access-backhaul, operation in unlicensed spectrum, intelligent transportation and vehicular-to-anything communication, the Industrial Internet of Things, ultra-reliable low-la-tency communication, and positioning. The article concludes with an outlook on enhancements planned for Release 17.