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RAN Meeting Planning RAN Rel-18 Project Update

Recently, the 3GPP’s specially convened meeting hosting Release 18 is an important release, marking the start of
study group (MHSG) cleared the way for us to host TSG#96 5G-Advanced. Discussion on potential RAN Rel-18 projects has
as a face-to-face (F2F) meeting, in June. Decisions for other been carefully planned and managed, starting from the first
potential F2F meetings in 2022 are still pending.
RAN Rel-18 workshop in June 2021.
For TSG RAN planning for both plenary and WG meetings are In RAN#94-e, after multiple rounds of email discussion and
looking to further output from the MHSG, while having a back- conference calls, RAN1/2/3-led Rel-18 package was approved
up plan in place, in case of changes.
(as detailed in RP-213469). In the same package, there was
The figure below reflects the target plan and the back-up also one RAN4-led Rel-18 WI and the corresponding RAN4
plan, and also the need for a series of inactive periods during impact analysis for the approved RAN1/2/3-led Rel-18 items.
the meeting schedule, to attempt to ensure a better work/life The high-level overview of the corresponding TU budget was
balance for everyone. endorsed in RP-213697. All the corresponding SIDs/WIDs were
also approved in RAN#94-e.
The primary focus in RAN#95-e for RAN Rel-18 were RAN4-led
RAN Rel-17 Project Update projects. Based on the fruitful email discussion in February
2022 focusing on potential RAN4-led R18 projects, RAN#95-e
approved RAN4-led Rel-18 package in RP-220068 in a very
smooth manner.
RAN#95-e brought about the planned Rel-17 functional
freeze. All RAN Rel-17 projects have been under close The corresponding TU budget was endorsed in RP-220980 and
scrutiny, checking the respective completion level and later consolidated in RP-221019. All the corresponding RAN4-
required exception sheets, if any. Dedicated email threads led Rel-18 SIDs/WIDs were approved in RAN#95-e as well.
were allocated to numerous Rel-17 projects, such as:
sidelink enhancement, support of reduced capability NR Consequently, combining RAN#94-e and RAN#95-e, the
devices, extending current NR operation to 71GHz, further package approval process for RAN Rel-18 is now completed.
enhancements on MIMO for NR, NR NTN, IoT NTN, UE power
saving enhancements for NR, enhancements to IAB for
NR, enhancement of RAN slicing for NR, RF requirements ITU Matters
enhancement for NR FR1, Further enhancements of NR RF
requirements for FR2, etc.
As usual, RAN#95-e dedicated some time to handling matters
Conference call sessions were also organized to address the related to ITU. In particular, the following liaisons were agreed
more controversial issues. by TSG RAN and sent to TSG SA:
In particular, one working agreement (#44), as declared by • RP-220048: DRAFT reply letter to ITU-R WP5D/
RAN2 (which was challenged), was resolved in a very smooth TEMP/353-E = RP-211636 on the schedule for updating
and constructive manner (see the compromise in RP-221003). Recommendation ITU-R M.2150 to Revision ‘After Year 2021’
This is a demonstration of the hard-working and constructive
spirit among all the delegates involved. • RP-220908: DRAFT reply letter to ITU-R WP5D/TEMP/356 =
RP-211634 on the schedule for updating Recommendation
Through the intensive discussion via emails and conference ITU-R M.2012 to Revision 6
calls, RAN#95-e successfully declared that RAN Rel-17 is
functionally frozen. There are some RAN Rel-17 projects with • RP-220911: Draft reply LS to ITU-R WP5D/TEMP/482rev1
the approved exception sheets. These will be an important = RP-212699 (update to RP-213642) on work towards two
focus for the upcoming RAN WG meetings in 2Q’2022. new recommendations “Generic unwanted emission
characteristics of base / mobile stations using the
The RAN ASN.1 freeze is planned for RAN#96, in June 2022.
terrestrial radio interfaces of IMT-2020”
In addition, the following LS was approved by RAN
5Gi Merger Update and sent to SA:
• RP-220912: LS related to 5GAA_WG4_S-220014 = RP-
In RAN#94-e, a way forward on merging 5Gi into 5G was 220044 on “online ITS communication standards database
approved in RP-213532, with specific milestones set for both from ITU”
3GPP and the Standards body in India - TSDSI.
In RAN#95-e, an LS (in RP-220028) from TSDSI was received, Concluding Remarks
in which TSDSI confirms their commitment not to further
maintain 5Gi as a separate standard for its evolution, as
also communicated to PCG, TEC and ITU-R. TSDSI requests Despite the extreme challenges due to COVID-19
RAN#95-e to approve the technically endorsed CRs, as per the and the inevitable cancellations of all 3GPP physical
agreed way forward. meetings since the start of 2020, TSG RAN has
successfully managed to deliver RAN Rel-17 (in terms of
In response, RAN#95-e approved the 2 pending CRs (RP- functional freeze) and approve RAN Rel-18 projects in a
220920 and RP-220921), along with a reply liaison to TSDSI completely electronic manner (emails and conference
(in RP-220950), informing them of the RAN#95-e outcome. calls). A deep appreciation goes to all delegates who
With that, the 5Gi merger is completed from RAN have been extremely hard-working, patient, and
perspective. constructive during this difficult time.
TSG#96 is upcoming very soon, as a first face-to-face
meeting after a long two-and-a-half year break. I am
eagerly looking forwarding to the happy re-union!
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