Page 6 - 3GPP Highlights
P. 6
TECHNICAL HIGHLIGHTS
WHEN THE GOING
GETS TOUGH…
By Lionel Morand, TSG CT Chair 2019 2020
Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
At the conclusion of the 3GPP TSG 3GPP process, the final Rel-16 completion TSG#86 TSG#87-e TSG#88-e TSG#89-e TSG#90
Plenary meetings (CT/SA/RAN#88) held – i.e., when the ASN.1 code and OpenAPI
electronically from June 29 to July 3 specification files are frozen – was
2020, 3GPP Release 16 has officially been achieved ‘on time’ at TSG#88e, in line with Rel-16 Rel-16
Rel-16
Rel-16
Stage 3
Stage 3
completed, concluding the evolution of the the official release roadmap. Stage 3 Stage 3
Freeze
Freeze
July
5G system to “5G Phase 2”. Freeze Freeze
March
For CT to have got through the amount of March July
Although we made the decision in March work necessary to complete the release Rel-16
Rel-16
to delay the freeze date for Rel-16 Stage 3 on time, given the Stage 3 delay – is a ASN.1
ASN.1
(protocol aspects) by 3 months, due to the remarkable achievement. Freeze
Freeze
impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the
In Rel-16, more than 50 new or enriched features have • 5GC enhancements to support the
•
wireless and wireline convergence for
been introduced for core networks & terminals to the 5G System, supporting connectivity
to 5GC using wireline broadband access
support advanced 5G services, such as: and non-3GPP Trusted Access Network
(in addition of the current Rel-15
• Enhancement of Ultra-Reliable Low • Enhancements to the 5G system Untrusted Access network).
Latency Communication (URLLC) protocols and interfaces to support • Support of new vertical service
support in 5G Core network (5GC), improved capabilities for 5G Cellular requirements, such as time sensitive
to provide data transfer capability with IoT devices supporting also WB-EUTRA communication, deployment of
strict performance requirements, to (eMTC) or NB-IoT, or both. non-public networks (NPNs) and
fulfil the demands of vertical markets 5G VPN-type services.
and applications.
Release 16 is not limited to 5G Phase 2. improvements in remote tools will not 2020 has been a challenge, but we have
Miscellaneous 5GC enhancements and replace the social aspect of the 3GPP achieved so much. I would like to use
optimizations have been approved to meetings, including the offline discussions this occasion to warmly thank the CT
improve existing services, such as mission during breaks - essential to facilitate leadership, the WG chairs and, most of
critical services and enhanced location common understanding and consensus all, the delegates without whom none of it
services. building - which is, for me, almost as would have been possible.
important as the pure technical part.
During the COVID-19 crisis, face-to-
face meetings have been replaced by
electronic meetings, of longer duration CT has performed strongly to complete the
and necessitating a dramatic increase in Release 16 work on time
the workload of the delegates. The early
e-meetings have taught us valuable lessons, More than 50 new or enriched features developed to support advanced Rel-16
which could serve us very well in the future, 5G services in the core network and terminals Stage 3
as the role of e-meetings is further explored 36 new technical specifications and 5 new technical reports Freeze
– beyond the current situation. Rel-16
More than 5000 documents approved in 114 meetings since the end of 2018 ASN.1
Nevertheless, our experience so far Freeze
confirms that these remote meetings 4 feasibility studies undertaken to investigate functional evolutions in
are far from ideal for the delegates and I the control plane and the user plane
for one hope that 3GPP can resume the Miscellaneous Rel-16 enhancement/optimization of the existing protocol suit
F2F meetings in a near future. All of the
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06 3GPP Highlights newsletter