Surrey University, England, January 31, 2014

At the recent ETSI Future Mobile Summit, the best of European Research demonstrated a new perspective on what will drive 5G and the impact it will have on the Standardization World. Motivated by the need for 3GPP to address the transition of Research output in to Industry Standards, a party of 3GPP leaders has made a return visit to Surrey University, the host of the 5G Innovation Centre (5GIC).

The major aim of the meeting between 3GPP and the 5GIC was to better understand how 3GPP and ETSI – as the European Partner and with its own ICT groups coming to the fore – could help to deliver the efficient transition of Research in to the Standards process, with the minimum of delay and the maximum of success.

Media stories abound on 5G and when it will be delivered. However, 3GPP is currently focused on enhancing the capabilities of LTE-Advanced and this work programme is likely to dominate Release 12 and Release 13. It is clear that there will be a need for a ‘next generation’, but it is important to allow the Research phase to run its course – before embarking on Standardization activities for that next generation.

There is much commonality between the Industrial membership of 3GPP and the main stakeholders in Research activities such as 5GIC. It is this commonality of membership that will ensure a smooth flow of research results, through pre-Standardization to eventual Standardization.

The meeting between 5GIC and 3GPP has planted the seeds for future cooperation. The role of ETSI is also clarified by such 5G discussions, as the Institute already has significant activities in areas such as Network Functions Virtualization, which will play an important role in future mobile network design.

3GPP wishes to extend its thanks to Prof. Rahim Tafazolli, and the staff of the University of Surrey, for their invitation to visit the Surrey University 5G Innovation Centre: 31 January 2014. 

The following people contributed to the meeting:

Back Row: Dino Flore (3GPP RAN Chairman), Adrian Scrase (ETSI CTO, Head of 3GPP MCC), Stephen Temple (Visiting Professor)

Sitting: Balazs Bertenyi (3GPP SA Chairman), Atle Monrad (3GPP CT Chairman), Prof Rahim Tafazolli (5GIC Director), David Hendon (Chairman Strategic Advisory Board), Prof Sharam Niri (5GIC General Manager)

The 5GIC is a part of the University of Surrey CCSR:

The Centre for Communication Systems Research (CCSR) has been established for over ten years as one of a number of autonomous research centres at the University of Surrey, it now houses some 160 researchers including over 90 undertaking a PhD, post doctoral researchers and academic staff. CCSR research is focused on future communication systems including mobile and wireless communications, satellite communications, networking (management, protocols and security).

http://www.surrey.ac.uk/ccsr/business/5GIC/

Further reading:

• ETSI Summit on Future Mobile and Standards for 5G (Includes a link to Prof. Rahim Tafazolli, University of Surrey, 5GIC)
• 3GPP RAN: Rel-12 and beyond (Article by the RAN Chairman, Dino Flore)
  
  3GPP Contact for this article: Kevin FLYNN