TSG#29 Highlights

| TSG CT | TSG SA | TSG RAN | 

Previous Highlights: TSG#28 |TSG#27 | TSG#26 | TSG#25 | TSG#24 | TSG#23 | TSG#22
TSG#21 | TSG#20 | TSG#19 | TSG#16 | TSG#15

Welcome!

Welcome to the latest edition of TSG Highlights! The aim is to provide you with a concise summary of the decisions and actions of the most recent 3GPP Technical Specification Group meetings held in September 2005 in Tallin.

3GPP has four  TSGs: CT (Core Networks and Terminals); RAN (Radio Access Network); SA (Services and Systems Aspects) and GERAN (GSM EDGE Radio Access Network). This summary reports on the first three of these, as GERAN meetings take place separately from the other TSGs.

Please note, these summaries to do not constitute formal, approved reports of the meetings – they are opinions only and also may not be complete. They are offered for guidance only.

TSG CT (Core Network and Terminals)

The meeting was held in Tallinn, Estonia, on the 21^st to 23^rd of September 2005, hosted by the European Friends of 3GPP.

Summary of approved change requests
 

Overview of CR topics
 

R99

- SIM toolkit conformance test cases

- USIM toolkit conformance test cases

- USIM application test cases
 

Rel-4

- TrFO

- Bearer independent CS architecture

- Some changes under TEI

- There were concerns that some TEI CR on the subscriber charging characteristics cover Rel-6 backwards compatibility problem by adding new functionality to Rel-4 and 5. The CRs were approved.

Rel 5 CRs, corrections to

- IMS

- USIM toolkit enhancements

- USIM conformance test cases

- Handover

Rel-6

- Correction CRs still expected (several references to IETF drafts still exist)

- Corrections on the main work items

- IMS phase 2, presence, IMS interworking

- Security

- Early IMS security

- MBMS

- WLAN

- non-IMS MMS

- QoS improvements

- and various TEI-6 items

Rel-7

- IMS, including FBI, stage 3 protocol enhancements, Mp interface between MRFC and MRFP

- Two work items on VGCS enhancements for public authority officials and parallel services

- CAMEL trunk triggers

- Subscriber certificates

- Various TEI-7 items

Release 6 extensions

Addition of CP to MO (SP-050367)

- Client Provisioning CR were approved in CT #29

DCC sub-session in flow based charging (SP-050368)

- CRs to remove DCC sub-sessions were approved in CT #29

PS Handover (SP-050369)

- PS HO CRs were approved in CT #29

Adding WDSL code to Rel-6 OSA specs (SP-050370)

- Not done

- Rel-6 extension expired in CT #29

No new extensions were requested by CT. As these were the last Rel-6 extensions, it means that also CT shifts to maintenance mode in Rel-6. No new features are expected, but if implementation of Rel-6 shows major problems in the specs, then essential corrections to such errors are still possible.

New and revised WIDs

- CP-050318, Short Message Service Centre for MT‑SMS (Study item), CT4

- CP-050350, WID for WLAN Interworking – Private network access from WLAN 3GPP IP Access,CT1

- CP-050458, WID for Voice call continuity between CS and IMS (incl. I-WLAN), CT1

- CP-050464, New WID: Multimedia interworking between IM CN subsystem and circuit switched networks, CT3

- CP-050465, Multimedia Resource Function Controller (MRFC) – Multimedia Resource Function Processor (MRFP) Mp Interface, CT4

Some of the above work items were approved conditionally, and in all cases the approval condition was met in the TSG-SA plenary the week after the CT meeting.

Liaisons

Referencing ETSI specific ISUP from 3GPP (SP-050583) (-> to SA)

- CT encouraged CT3 to reference the ETSI specifications to document the interworking with ETSI specific ISUP features including ACR and TISPAN simulation services

- It was commented that the ETSI specifications are publically available for anyone

RAN5 reply to SA IOT LS (SP-050403) from the last SA (-> to SA)

- CT and RAN have treated the reply (CP-050410)

- No decision could be made in CT – RAN joint session

- No LSs were sent from the joint session or CT on IOT

ITU-R submission reviewed and comments were given in an LS from CT to RAN (CP-050431) (-> to RAN)

ATIS requested for comments on their NGN road map (-> to CT1)

- The LS was forwarded to CT1

- It was recommended that TISPAN should be given a chance to review the document too
 

Back to top

TSG-RAN (Radio Access Network)

TSG RAN meeting #29 took place in Tallinn, Estonia. The meeting started at 9:00 on Wednesday 21^st September 2005 and finished on Friday 23^rd at 16:00. 119 participants were registered and 254 documents were submitted.

Change Requests

The approved Change Requests (CRs) to TSG RAN specifications are summarized in the following table:

Liaisons from other groups

ECC PT1 sent a communication with a formal request to 3GPP to develop specifications for the so called 2.6 GHz External Band (RP-050565). This is a controversial subject with opposition from a number of 3GPP members. A WI proposal was presented (RP-050430) and approved, conditional to the decision of the 3GPP PCG

On GSM onboard planes, a LS from TSG GERAN was received (RP-050568). It was reported that a joint meeting (ETSI MSG, ETSI ERM TG25, 3GPP GERAN WG1, 3GPP RAN WG4, ECC SE7) took place in September, where a number of open issues were identified. ECC SE7 is the group where most of the remaining work will take place (RP-050569)

 ITU-R

The contribution from 3GPP to Revision 6 of M.1457 was approved, subject to the update from TSG SA of the list of specifications under their responsibility and the final approval by 3GPP PCG

A first contribution for the new ITU-R deliverable on IP applications over Mobile networks was approved (RP-050606).

Rel99, Rel-4, Rel-5 and Rel-6

Very few corrections to R99 and Rel-4 specifications. Most of the Rel-5 CRs are to the test specifications in WG5.

It was debated if the new 2.6 GHz FDD Band (Band VII) need to be Release independent back to R99. Since it is foreseeable that networks and terminals will be Rel-5 when this Band comes into operation, it was proposed to specify the Release independency only back to Rel-5. It was finally agreed to keep the current approach and Band VII can be used for Rel99

A problem with the current frequency numbering scheme has been highlighted in GERAN, RAN WG2 and RAN WG4. It may require changing the current scheme for certain bands that have overlapping frequencies and numbers. A quick fix was approved for the overlapping of Band V and Band VI, and RAN WG2 & WG4 are tasked to look for a future proof solution

The report from MCC Task Force 160, producing the TTCN test cases, was approved. The request for funding for 2006 was approved; TSG RAN chairman will present the request to 3GPP PCG (RP-050509).

A proposal was presented for the freezing of the R99 test cases, creating debate on how the concept of freezing applies to tests. It was explained that WG5 has now very few corrections to R99 test cases anyway, but the group will study how to implement the freezing (RP-050590).

TR 34.943 on "Analysis of Differences between FDD and 1.28 Mcps TDD" was approved and will be put under change control as v6.0.0.

The completion of the WI MBMS performance requirements is delayed to December 2005 (RP-050414)

TR 25.803 "S-CCPCH performance for MBMS" is approved and will be put under change control as v6.0.0

The WI FDD Enhanced Uplink performance requirements is completed, the last pack of CRs is approved

A CR to introduce an indication of HSDPA capability in the messages System Information Block 5 was proposed. There wasn't agreement on this among the operators, arguments were raised on the convenience to show the user information on the HSDPA support of the current cell. The view most supported was that the decision should be taken in the Service group (SA WG1), as there are more implications to it than a simple radio indicator. (RP-050592).

Release 7 and beyond

The Study on Continuous connectivity for packet data users was completed, a WI based on its results is proposed.

A joint RAN WGs – SA WG2 meeting on Long Term Evolution took place the 19 – 20 September, aiming at the completion of the functional split. Several joint meetings of RAN WGs and SA WG2 had taken place in the last 3 months to advance on the split. Although it is not yet finished, significant progress has been made and now the remaining open items are well identified and allocated to the relevant group

A way forward on LTE was agreed in RP-050632.

The following new Work Items were approved:

-   Improved Performance Requirements for non-HSDPA channels based on Enhanced Receiver, Type 1 (Rx Diversity) (RP-050563)

-   Continuous connectivity for packet data users (RP-050429)

-   UMTS 2.6 GHz DL External (RP-050646). Conditionally approved, depends on 3GPP PCG decision.

-   Conformance Test Aspects – ROHC Performance (RP-050538)

-   Conformance Test Aspects – Domain Specific Access Control (RP-050439)

-   Conformance Test Aspects – Performance of Receive Diversity for HSDPA (RP-050540)

-   Conformance Test Aspects –Improved Minimum Performance for HSDPA (RP-050541)

-   Specifying Tests for VGCS, VBS ciphering (RP-050542). The CRs for this WI have been approved (RP-050515), the WI is closed in this meeting.

The table below summarizes the status of RAN Work Items after meeting #29.