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In a stereo or immersive telephony use-case, a participant Illustration of spatial
can capture and convey an immersive scene to a remote audio capture
participant, e.g., to share the full immersive experience of an
event. For spatial conferencing applications, the flexibility of
the IVAS codec will provide multiple options for:
• Ad-hoc conferencing calls with the transmission of the
physical immersive scene picked up by a UE, e.g., placed on
a table. Rendering of the immersive scene makes it easier to
distinguish the talkers’ voice, clearly separated from ambient
sounds, leading to more natural and effort-less conferencing.
• More complex scenarios with multiple participants,
transmitted as individual streams and spatially rendered on
the receiving UE to match the video scene, for example.

• Scenarios where an intermediate call server combines
multiple participants into an immersive scene.
Further on, the IVAS codec will support content distribution
use-cases including streaming of stereo/immersive content
and advanced VR/AR applications.

IVAS codec standardization in SA4 Audio SWG

An IVAS codec candidate is currently being developed. A key element of selection testing is the reliance on capable
The Terms of Reference of that effort and any essential neutral laboratories. Accordingly, SA4 has issued a call for
development project data (code repository, technical such labs and once SA4 agrees on a lab assignment, the 3GPP
documentation, meeting reports) are publicly available on Mobile Competence Centre (MCC) is tasked with setting up the
3GPP Forge. necessary contracts.
Once chosen, IVAS codec standardization will follow the The actual selection of the codec requires a determination by
traditional rigorous approach based on permanent documents SA4 that the overall IVAS codec work item goals are fulfilled,
(Pdocs), all agreed in 3GPP. Key Pdocs are design constraints based on an assessment of how the performance requirements
and performance requirements. These ensure the standardized and design constraints are met. It also involves determining
codec can be implemented on relevant UEs and that it is that any other required data and documentation as specified
suitable for the intended service applications. in the selection deliverables have been provided. The
deliverables typically include draft IVAS codec specifications
Any new codec undergoes a rigid selection process in which and reference C source code. Reference code is expected
it must meet all 3GPP-agreed requirements. The process to become available both as fixed- and floating-point code
includes selection testing in which the quality of the candidate specifications, enabling efficient and timely implementations
is formally evaluated against the performance requirements. on relevant platforms. Subsequently, TSG SA will formally
A significant budget – in excess of a million euros – is approve codec selection and the provided specifications.
dedicated to testing the IVAS codec.
The IVAS codec is scheduled for 3GPP Release 18.

3GPP Working Group SA4 - Multimedia Codecs, Systems and Services is a part of the 3GPP Technical Specification
Group Service and System Aspects (TSG SA). See more about SA4 at www.3gpp.org/specifications-groups.

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