Page 13 - 3GPP Highlights

With 3GPP, we strove to help create of mobile telecommunications we have Susan Miller: “3GPP’s huge success owes
the partnership model that would seen a direct bearing on the socio-economic much to the excellent technical work
accommodate regional innovation and growth of the country. undertaken by member companies, but
requirements while delivering global All of the above underline the fact that it also to how the underlying structure
technical alignment.” balances regional and global interests. As
is imperative for the Indian ecosystem to
With Japan, Korea the U.S and Europe all participate in the development of 5G to we look to the evolution of 5G and beyond,
in 3GPP at the beginning, China’s Ministry ensure rapid deployment addressing India our challenge is to maintain the spirit of
of Information Industry (MII) was also specific requirements, driven by India innovation and cooperation in a rapidly
preparing the way for its own standards specific innovations, hence enabling the evolving world.”
developing organization – what would next round of socio-economic development. Luis Jorge Romero: “We could keep going
become the CCSA – to sign up as a 3GPP with 5G, but with all of the G’s there are
Organizational Partner, in 1999. Since the next phase of 5G will address the advances and at some point we usually
various vertical use cases, it is expected have a leap forward, into the new. 5G is still
that there would be more contributions maturing, but in three to four years we
from the R&D community in India to enable
TOWARDS 5G

India took a little longer to join – with
the TSDSI becoming an OP on the 1st of
January 2015. We asked Pamela Kumar,
the TSDSI Director General, how 4G R&D
in India had shaped their view on how to
engage in standards for 5G.

Pamela Kumar: “India announced the
launch of 2G wireless communication in Assembled PCG#12, April 2004
1995 but it was only in 2008 that there
was an exponential growth, from 200 to wide scale deployment across the various will have to address the question; what do
800 Million subscribers is less than 3 years. industry segments. To summarise: India is we need next? The next evolution could be
3G deployments were then announced in hungry for new technology, but it needs to radio, but there is also a lot of interest in
2008, with them taking-off in 2017, with be tempered with right “masalas” to make it core network evolution. New solutions and
nearly 400 million 4G connections in 2018 palatable for the Indian consumer.” capabilities will be found, that will create
& almost 600 million today. With this, We also asked the other PCG leaders the potential for another leap forward.
India is established as one of the largest for their views on the outlook for 5G
LTE deployed countries, with the largest and beyond, with a range of vertical “we will now see the
data consumption on any wireless network sectors such as automotive, agriculture,
happening over Indian LTE 4G. initial R&D work on
smart cities, broadcast, health care, and
manufacturing coming to the project. 6G by next year”
“India is hungry for new Kyoung Cheol Koo: “Many operators have
successfully launched 5G commercial B2C
technology, but it needs services based on the 3GPP specifications, We need to keep addressing the needs
to be tempered with but we still have a lot to do for the B2B of new sectors and to find ways to build
enhancements and our support for the
links between the diverse people already
right ‘masalas’ to make vertical industries. Looking ahead, with 5G attending 3GPP and those that will come.
specifications maturing, we recognise that
I like the initiative to start 3GPP mentoring
it palatable for the we will now see the initial R&D work on 6G – where experienced delegates give a hand
by next year, to newcomers. 3GPP is a complicated
Indian consumer.” I feel that it is time for us to consider environment to work within, but getting up
the visions and KPIs for 6G from a 3GPP to speed should not be a lonely process.”
perspective. All of the areas you mention Along with the huge potential of 5G and
India was the first country to launch here will be a part of that. However, I see clamour for the next big thing, 3GPP
commercial VoLTE services and enhanced others where we have barely touched remains a project that has taken each
broadcast/ multicast (eMBMS) services. – coming in to the 3GPP systems – via evolution of the system in its stride, thanks
The patterns of consumption (40% rural, ‘Smart-X’ technologies such as Smart to the strength of the partnership – created
90% video, 90% in regional languages; less City, Smart Farm, Smart Health and many in 1998 and built to last.
than $2 ARPU) are unique and with the more areas are possible for the ‘3GPP of
successful deployment of each generation everything’.”

Thank you to the PCG leaders for their help in preparing this article:
Luis Jorge Romero, ETSI Director General, 3GPP PCG Chair.
Kyoung Cheol Koo, TTA Vice-President, 3GPP PCG Vice-Chair
Pamela Kumar, TSDSI Director General, 3GPP PCG Vice-Chair
|
Susan Miller, ATIS President & CEO, 3GPP PCG Vice-Chair
Issue 01 - September 2020 13