3GPP TS is very important from the conformance point of view.
Figure 2.16 Example of a cover page of a 3GPP technical specification.
Source: © 2012. 3GPP ™ TSs and TRs are the property of ARIB, ATIS, CCSA, ETSI, TSDSI, TTA and TTC who jointly own the copyright in them. © 2012, 3GPP.
2.5.4 Stages of a 3GPP Technical Specification
A 3GPP technical specification may be divided into stages such as Stage1, Stage2 and Stage 3. Descriptions and purposes of each stage are shown in Figure 2.17.
In this case, the titles of the technical specifications will be the same, but they will have different specification numbers. The cover page of a sample technical specification shown in Figure 2.16 shows the “Stage1” of the technical specification.
2.5.5 Release Number of 3GPP Technical Specification
3GPP technical specifications are grouped into a particular “Release”. A mobile communications system and the network could be developed based on the set of all the specifications that belong to a particular release. A mobile communications system and its node/element is said to be compliant or conforms to a particular release. A list of 3GPP releases available so far is mentioned later in Section 2.6. From the sample cover page of the TS 23.060 [31] shown in Figure 2.16, the corresponding release number is 11 that is derived from the version field: V11.0.0.
Figure 2.17 Illustration: different stages of a 3GPP TS.
2.5.6 3GPP Technical Specification Numbering Nomenclature
Series Number
Each 3GPP protocol layer has a unique technical specification number. An analogy to a technical specification is the Request for Comments (RFC) number, e.g. RFC 1234, defined by the Internet Engineering Task Force, of a particular protocol such as ICMP. The technical specification numbering system is like this: ab.xyz or ab.xy where the first two digits, i.e. ab, identifies the series number of the technical specification. This is further followed by either 3 digits (e.g. xyz) for series from 21 to 55 or 2 digits (e.g. xy) for series from 01 to 13. For example, consider the cover page of the sample TS 22.060, shown in Figure 2.16. The corresponding technical specification number is TS 22.060, where 22 is the series number here.
There are large numbers of technical specifications, or standards, for different areas of the mobile communications networks based on the GSM, GPRS, UMTS, LTE, and 5G technologies. Those technical specifications cover the different system engineering aspects of a mobile communications network as described in Section 2.4. Technical specifications of related protocols or subject areas (e.g. signaling, service aspects) of a particular mobile technology are grouped into so‐called “specification series”, for example, 3GPP TS 44 series, 24 series specifications, and so on. Within a particular series, all the technical specifications of a related protocol or protocol stack can be found.
Visit the 3GPP site [2] for the lists of technical specifications series that are available in each of the mobile communications technologies, such as GSM, GPRS/EDGE, UMTS, LTE, and 5G (second, third, fourth column) under a particular subject area (first column). The specification is organized into the following categories:
3G (UMTS) and beyond/GSM (R99 and later), covering the 5G also;
GSM only (Release‐4 and later); and
GSM only (before Release ‐4).
Start with and look at the standard specification(s) for a particular mobile communications technology domain (column (2) or (3) or (4)) of your interest. For the complete list of the technical specification series, the reader is advised to visit the 3GPP site [2]. Note that after Release 4 or R4, the old GSM specification numbers are increased by 40 (second column from right in [2]), whereas the UMTS standards or specification numbering is lowered by 20 numbers (second column from left in the table appearing on this web site page) corresponding to each GSM standard. Thus, the GSM standard 01.0x has now become GSM 41.00x and UMTS 21.xxx. Note that technical specifications of a particular mobile communication technology such as GSM, EDGE, UMTS, LTE, or 5G could span across multiples series. For example, LTE and 5G have the dedicated specifications series, i.e. 36 and 38; see the 3GPP site [2]. However, one can also find LTE protocol layer‐related specifications/information in other series such as the TS 24.008[45].
Version, Release Number of a 3GPPTechnical Specification
Each 3GPP technical specification has its version number in the form of a.b.c. The meanings are as follows:
a
This is the release field. It is incremented each time a major new functionality is added to the concerned mobile communication technology area such as GSM, GPRS/EDGE, UMTS or 5G system.
b
This is the technical field. It is incremented each time a technical change is made to the concerned technical specification. Note that the technical information field is reset to zero every time the release field is updated.
c
This is the editorial field. It is incremented each time an editorial change is made to a specification. Note that it is reset to zero every time the technical field is updated. For example, TS 44.060 V6.0.0 means that it belongs to 3GPP Release 6. Open a technical specification and have a look at the meaning of each number. One should consider referring to a specification having the first digit of the version as 3 and above because that is the version of the specification under change control. More about the version numbering scheme could be found by visiting the 3GPP site link [5].
2.5.7 Vocabulary of 3GPP Specifications
For a list of glossaries of terms, their definition, and the abbreviations as found in various 3GPP specifications as well as in this book, refer to the 3GPP TR 21.905 [24].
2.5.8 Examples in a 3GPP Technical Specification
3GPP technical specifications are full of theories, and one will not find, except in some cases, virtually illustrating examples in any technical specifications. This may make the reader difficult to grasp a particular concept at the first go. In this case,
