Page 20 - 3GPP Highlights

A LOOK INSIDE

NEW DIRECTION FOR THE

MOBILE COMPETENCE CENTRE

As John Meredith steps down as Director of 3GPP MCC, Dr Issam Toufik steps

up to lead the eighteen strong team, supporting the work of the project.
In this short interview we will learn a little bit more about Issam and what
he sees as the future priorities for the team.

What brought you in to the ETSI the standard works but also to have a deep MCC technical officer. Can you
Mobile Competence Centre, and understanding of how the technical choices describe the place that MCC
3GPP more generally. What is and decisions were arrived at. occupies in 3GPP and how it is
your pre-3GPP story? Most of the books on the market were seen by the experts attending
lacking the latter. I think that it was the meetings?
Since my early childhood I have always first book to provide the reader with
been fascinated by new technologies and material about how 3GPP arrived at the MCC plays a central role in the 3GPP
my curiosity grew into a passion – which key decisions on its long term evolution. We machine by providing a comprehensive
guided my study and career choices. I had standards experts participating, but I support to the project.
graduated in wireless communications from am very proud that we also had academics
Eurecom in 2002 and carried that on by and researchers contributing to the book. Our Technical Officers are an important
completing a PhD. in resource allocation We did an updated version, to include part of the smooth running of meetings,
for OFDMA systems, at a time (2003-2006) Release 10, LTE-Advanced, but we do not the coordination between the different
when LTE was at the very early stages of plan to do further editions. That may have working groups as well as the TSGs. They
the study phase. So, I guess it was on the to be another book. also handle coordination and maintenance
cards that I would be in or around 3GPP at of the Work Plan and the production of the
some point. You eventually joined the MCC, specifications.
at ETSI – Also in Sophia Antipolis. The MCC Technical Officers are also
When working for ST-Ericsson as an
algorithms engineer, I was a standards Did you always have an eye to the “guardians” of the 3GPP working
user – Our team was more on the product settle on the French Riviera? procedures making sure that the well-
development side, but we used RAN1 and established rules and procedures are
RAN4 specifications heavily. So, our team I studied in France, and when it comes respected at all times.
had a good handle on the work coming out to high technologies and telecoms in There is a lot of mutual respect in the
of the groups. particular, Sophia Antipolis was the flagship groups, not only between the delegates
destination. Paris has many of the larger
Can you tell us a little bit about companies, but Sophia Antipolis was that and the companies, but also towards
the book you worked on with young hub where most of the start-ups, the MCC working group Secretaries
(Technical Officers) and all of the MCC
those colleagues? innovation and new initiatives were support professionals. The role of MCC
seeding. Add in the location, and the choice
Yes, with my close colleagues Stefania of settling here was made a little easier. is recognised by the community and it
Sesia and Matthew Baker, we co-wrote is not a rare thing to receive tributes
“LTE – The UMTS Long Term Evolution: You have been supporting RAN4 and compliments about the work of our
From Theory to Practice”. We felt that it and more recently RAN3 as their Technical Officers.
was important not only to understand how
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