In this short interview, Wanshi Chen speaks about the most recent TSG RAN plenary (#102) in Edinburgh last December. He described it as a very important meeting, with progress made towards the Rel-18 functional freeze. Chen confirms that most everything was on schedule with the focus now on the maintenance phase of the release.

Looking to the package of features for Rel-19, the second release for 5G Advanced - RAN have made progress there too, following on from the workshop held in June this year. He explained that RAN have kept the mindset that the primary focus is on additional commercial needs for 5G Advanced, to enhance or improve the commercialization of it.

Release 19 is also very important – as it will provide a bridge to 6G which is starting to be discussed.

Wanshi Chen confirmed that the focus of the technical work is very much on finishing with Rel-18 and then on Rel-19 - from the first quarter of 2024 – which is set to be an 18 month release. All three TSGs (RAN, CT and SA) have now endorsed a timeline for 6G work that is connected really well with Rel-19. The first Rel-20 workshops will be in March 2025, with an aim to approve the Rel-20 package – including 6G studies - June 2025, in line with the Rel-19 functional freeze.

So, Rel-20 for studies and Rel-21 for specification work on 6G and the TSG RAN IMT-2030 submission, which is very important for 3GPP.