Standalone architecture is required to unlock the full 5G feature set. Only with a native 5G Core can operators deploy end-to-end network slicing using S-NSSAI identifiers, guarantee deterministic URLLC latency, and place user plane functions at the edge through Local Area Data Networks. SA also introduces native subscriber privacy by encrypting the permanent identity into a SUCI that conceals the SUPI from the radio interface. These capabilities are structurally impossible in NSA because the LTE EPC lacks the service-based interfaces and slice-aware session management that the 5G Core provides.