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Project Co-ordination Group (PCG)
TM
TSG RAN TSG CT TSG SA
Radio Access Network Core Network & Terminals Service & System Aspects
RAN WG1 CT WG1 SA WG1
Radio Layer 1 User Equipment - Services
(Physical layer) Core Network
protocols SA WG2
RAN WG2 System Architecture
Radio Layer 2 & & Services
Radio Layer 3
Radio Resource Control CT WG3 SA WG3
Interworking with External Security and Privacy
Networks & Policy
RAN WG3 & Charging Control SA WG4
UTRAN/E-UTRAN/NG-RAN Multimedia Codecs,
architecture and related Systems and Services
network interfaces
CT WG4 SA WG5
RAN WG4 Core Network protocols Management,
Radio Performance Orchestration and Charging
Protocol aspects
SA WG6
RAN WG5 CT WG6 Application Enablement &
Mobile Terminal Smart Card Critical Communication
Conformance Testing Application Aspects Applications
© 3GPP
Release 18 timeline decided Not all of the currently available items will
become part of Rel-18, but everything that gets
During the September meetings, all three 3GPP into the first 5G Advanced release will need the
Technical Specification Groups have approved approval of all companies in 3 GPP SA, as 3GPP
the Rel-18 timeline, which sets the date for is based on consensus led decisions.
completion of all protocol related work
(so-called “stage 3 freeze”) to December 2023. The principle of consensus is key in this
discussion. Some jokingly say that it guarantees
“Over 40 proposals for that everybody is equally unhappy with the
outcome, but there is a more important
Rel-18 items are currently role to it. Consensus means that the Rel-18
3GPP specifications will have the support of
under discussion.” all companies represented in 3GPP – be it
terrestrial or satellite operators, UE, chipset
or network vendors or companies from the
This decision was taken although the ongoing diverse vertical industrial sectors. This broad
Covid-19 pandemic situation still forces 3GPP agreement shows that companies are willing
to operate in a setting where only electronic to support the related features and gives a
meetings are possible. With the timeline being guarantee for the upcoming years, so that
fixed it is now possible to plan the amount companies can plan their products and services
of technical work which can be done by the based on 3GPP specifications.
individual 3GPP Working Groups. Nevertheless, Most of the other 3GPP SA Working Groups
as said above, the content of Rel-18 is still are currently also starting their discussions and
under discussion. work on Rel-18 items. Currently it seems that in
Release 18 content – decision in December WGs SA3, SA4, SA5 and SA6 no prioritization
of items will be needed, as the proposed new
3GPP WG SA1 started to work on Rel-18 items will fit into the available time.
requirements more than a year ago and will
finish the related work by December 2021. For all the items which will be part of the
approved Rel-18 content, 3GPP will look into
In WG SA2, the Architecture Working Group security (WG SA3), charging, operation and
of TSG SA, over 40 proposals for Rel-18 items maintenance (WG SA5) issues. As the work
are currently under discussion. An initial rough on these areas is dependent on the outcome
estimation of the required time for those items of TSG RAN, WG SA2 and SA6, the related
would require more than twice the amount of activities will as usual start later during the
time available based on the agreed timeline. Rel-18 timeline.
As the architectural decisions strongly influence 3GPP TSG SA has some busy discussions ahead
the Rel-18 work in other 3GPP WGs, it was to determine which of the candidate features
decided to go through a prioritization process will make it into Rel-18. Once the content
of the WG SA2 items. For that purpose TSG SA of the new release is approved, in December
will hold another 2 day workshop in December 2021, 3GPP will work on the technical
2021 during which the proposed items will be specifications to provide a major update to the
further modified and streamlined.
5G eco-system within two years.

More about TSG SA here: www.3gpp.org/specifications-group
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