All you always wanted to know about 3GPP … but were too afraid to ask.

All you always wanted to know about 3GPP …but were too afraid to ask. The 3GPP Seminar

The 3GPP SeminarModule 4 • Rules and regulations • Following the work

Hierarchy of rules: • 3GPP agreement – binds Partners to high level goals and methods • 3GPP Working Procedures – lays down procedures for administration of the Project • TSG working methods – much more detail on day-to-day TSG and WG processes (TR 21.900) • Spec drafting rules – TS (and TR) structure, linguistic conventions, typographical styles, supported tools, etc (TR 21.801) • …

Hierarchy of rules: • … • 3GPP web – informal (but none the less useful!) guidance on many topics • 3GPP wiki – even more informal guidance, chairmen’s views, delegates’ feedback, MCC wisdom (?), racing tips, football results, …

Rules and procedures (1) 3GPP operates according to the following rules and guidelines based upon the Collaborative Agreement http://www.3gpp.org/About/3gppagre.pdf as follows: The Working Procedures http://www.3gpp.org/About/WP.htm TSG working methodshttp://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/html-info/21900.htm Spec drafting rules http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/html-info/21801.htm

Rules and procedures (2) The Working Procedures http://www.3gpp.org/About/WP.htm These cover procedural issues such as holding meetings, electing officials, participation rights, IPR policy, and so on. The Working Procedures are the top level of rules, and apply to all groups working under the banner of 3GPP from PCG downwards. If you have a question on rules and procedures, look here first.

Rules and procedures (3) TSG working methodshttp://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/html-info/21900.htm TR 21.900 gives detailed procedural guidance on the creation of new specifications and their management (drafting, change control, filenames, etc.). It also covers the creation and management of work items, and gives further guidance on the running of TSGs and their WGs (e-mail exploders, e-mail decision making, etc.).

Rules and procedures (4) Spec drafting rules http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/html-info/21801.htm Based on rules originally developed within ISO and long since adapted for use in most other international and national standardization bodies, TR 21.801 provides detailed instructions on the creation and modification of TSs and TRs. It covers both general guidance (e.g. the use of modal auxiliary verbs) and specific conventions (which word processor styles to use for different purposes). It also includes a list of permissible software tools (word processor, SDL chart generator, TTCN tool, graphics software, etc.).

How do I follow what is happening where? Help!! The guiding principles of 3GPP are openness and ease of access to the results. The following slides show the means by which those principles are upheld, so that the whole community of subscribers / users, network operators, equipment manufacturers, and national administrators can benefit from the fruits of 3GPP’s labours, whether or not they have been active participants. All information is publicly available on the 3GPP web site http://www.3gpp.org/ .

Following the work (1) Each TSG and each Working Group have declared terms of reference. This makes it relatively easy to determine which group you need to follow if you are interested in a particular area of work. http://www.3gpp.org/specification-groups Every TSG and every WG has an e-mail exploder. In most cases, anybody can join the exploder(s) in which he has an interest. There is no restriction to representatives of 3GPP Individual Members, to active participants, etc – anybody can join. http://www.3gpp.org/email/lists.htm The meeting calendar for all groups is set well in advance. Increasingly, registration of intended participation in meetings can be done on-line. http://www.3gpp.org/3GPP-Calendar,5.

Following the work (2) All meeting documents – invitation, agenda, contributions (so called “temporary documents”), meeting report, etc – are available on the file server, and remain there indefinitely. All TSGs and WGs use a standardized file naming convention. From the file name, you can determine the originating TSG or WG the year in which the document was created, and via the table at:http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/html-info/PlenaryMeetings.htm the meeting number at which it was presented.You can thus easily get to a given document of interest.

Following the work (3) The agreed work plan is published after every TSG SA meeting, and forms the basis for the programme for the next three months. (More details on the management of the work plan are given later in this presentation.) http://www.3gpp.org/Management/WorkPlan.htm The specifications resulting from the Working Groups’ activities are available on the file server, and can be downloaded individually or en masse. For a given spec, you can also track the change history from version to version. (More details on how to find the spec which interests you are given later in this presentation.) http://www.3gpp.org/specification-numbering

Following the work (4) If, after all that, you still cannot find the information you need ... The contact coordinates of all TSG and WG officials (Chairmen, Vice-Chairmen, Secretaries) are available, as are those of the Support Team. http://www.3gpp.org/specification-groups http://www.3gpp.org/mobile-competence-centre

For more information please visit http://www.3gpp.org Or contact john.meredith@etsi.org

All you always wanted to know about 3GPP … but were too afraid to ask.