Page 22 - Highlight_Issue_2_FLIP_BOOK

A LOOK INSIDE

ENSURING DEVICE

COMPLIANCE TO STANDARDS

By Olivier Genoud, Task Force 160 (TF160) Leader

Maximizing the chances of a standard being widely adopted not DEVICE CERTIFICATION:
only relies on its technological merit, but also on its testability and
on the test methodologies put in place to ensure that the products
using it can operate as expected. Leading Certification Bodies apply the 3GPP RAN5 conformance
test cases in their device certification schemes. The most
3GPP has always recognized the importance of testing within the prominent being GCF (Global Certification Forum) and CTIA/
standards making process, creating a working group dedicated to PTCRB. As such, the 3GPP TTCN-3 Test Suites developed by
conformance testing from the outset. TSG RAN Working Group 5 TF160 constitute a key software component that is integrated on
(RAN5) develops and maintains conformance test specifications the test platforms used by vendors to
for User Equipment (UE). In addition to that, RAN5 covers the obtain formal certification of 3GPP
provision of a standardized reference software implementation compliance for their devices.
of the protocol test cases defined in its conformance test
specifications. The software is delivered in the form of Test Suites Recently, the GCF reported that more than 150 devices had
written in TTCN-3, an advanced language designed for testing already been certified, using 5G TTCN-3 Test Suites, for Release 15
protocols, services, APIs and software modules for a variety compliance by the end of 2020.
of uses.
As software development work involves ongoing project UPCOMING TF160 TECHNICAL PRIORITIES:
management and participation of specialised technical experts,
RAN5 has delegated the TTCN-3 work to a 3GPP Task Force.
Since June 2000, TF160 has been managed by the 3GPP Mobile
Competence Centre (MCC) - located at ETSI - working under In mid-2020, 3GPP froze Release 16 (Rel-16), used for the final
RAN5’s guidance on the priorities for the implementation of RAN5 submissions to ITU-R of the 3GPP IMT-2020 proposal. RAN5 has
protocol test cases. now started specifying new conformance test cases for 5G Rel-16.
In 2021, TF160 work will be focused on TTCN-3 implementation
TF160 is a multi-site collaborative project bringing together 23 and delivery of the 5G Rel-16 protocol test cases. In parallel TF160
protocol and testing experts located around the world, nominated will continue progress on Mission Critical test case development.
and selected from volunteer 3GPP member companies. IT and
administrative support for TF160 is provided by ETSI, where I
coordinate the effort as project leader. LAST WORD:

TF160 SCOPE AND ONGOING ACTIVITIES: TF160 recently celebrated its 20 years of existence. It continues as
a critical project for 3GPP, for the users of 3GPP technologies and
for Certification Bodies.
The technologies and features covered by the 3GPP TTCN-3 Test
Suites include UMTS, HSPA, LTE, IoT (eMTC, NB-IoT), 5G, IMS, For more details on 3GPP TF160, please look for our page in the
Positioning and Mission Critical. ‘About 3GPP’ section of the website (Under ‘MCC’).
The bulk of the ongoing activities in TF160 are on writing TTCN-
3 for the delivery of the 5G test cases for 3GPP Release 15 - for
both EN-DC (Non-Standalone Option 3) and NR/5GC (Standalone
Option 2) deployment options, including inter-RAT with 4G, IMS
over NR and Positioning over NR.
To date more than 80% of the 570 planned 5G protocol test cases
have been delivered by TF160.
Another area where there is considerable activity is the provision
of test cases for LTE Mission Critical (MC) for the critical
communications sector, which has called for conformance test
cases to ascertain MC product compliance in support of that
industry’s migration towards a mobile broadband based solution. ETSI headquarters in France is the administrative home of TF160

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22 3GPP Highlights newsletter