In Highlights #8 we hear about how 5G Advanced is still front-and-centre of the work of the groups in 3GPP, but also about how planning for 3GPP 6G is being addressed.

During the recent WG SA1 stage 1 requirements workshop for 6G (Rotterdam, May 8-10) a light was shone on the needs of the operator, service provider and the service user community. In this issue of Highlights we have an article by our TSG SA Chair, Puneet Jain – with his feedback on the IMT-2030 Use Case Workshop.

In the Technology section we have a variety of view-points. With two articles from our WG SA4 experts on delivering Augmeted Reality and Extended Reality media capabilities to users in real time. We also learn how the 3GPP system will play a growing role in energy delivery – with our article on Network Services and Operations for Energy Utility (NSOEU) – defining how energy utility service providers and MNOs can exchange information in a standardized way.

Also in the technical section, we have a WG SA3 article on the influence of 3GPP Security Assurance (SCAS), which is helping to ensure that network nodes are implemented and are behaving according to the specifications.

There is more, from our experts, with articles on TSG CT Rel-18 stage 3 completion, on Next Generation Real Time Communication (NG-RTC), on WG RAN3 work for Rel-18 and the WG SA5 work on Management and Orchestration in Rel-19.

The partners have helped greatly in Highlights Issue 8, with three diverse articles. The SCF have shared news of their latest collaboration with other open groups. We also have an India perspective on the benefits of Ambient IoT and last up, we have a piece on the procurement practices for critical communications MCx kit from the TCCA.

Saving the best for last again, we finish this issue with ‘A look inside’, where we have an interview with Diana Pani, RAN2 Chair. Diana shares with us some great insights into the inner workings of the technical groups and how they get the job done.

As always, we hope that you enjoy this new issue of ‘Highlights’. You can subscribe to it here: https://www.3gpp.org/news-events/3gpp-newsletters