© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module 10 1 All you always wanted to know about 3GPP … but were too afraid to ask. The 3GPP Seminar

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module 10 2 The 3GPP Seminar Module 10 Drafting and maintaining the Technical Specifications

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module 10 3 Drafting and maintaining the technical specifications The work items result in new technical specifications, or enhancements to existing ones …

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module 10 4 A named individual – the “rapporteur” - is identified for each spec. It is the rapporteur’s responsibility to initiate the drafting of the spec, and to maintain it throughout the drafting process. scribble scribble scribble scribble Spec numbers are allocated by the Support Team. The drafting process (1)

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module 10 5 The rapporteur issues the specification as version Release field Technical field Editorial field The Editorial field of the version number is incremented each time an editorial change is made to the document. It is reset to zero every time the Technical field is updated. The Technical field of the version number is incremented each time a technical change is made to the document. It is reset to zero every time the Release field is updated. The Release field of the version number is incremented each time major new functionality is made to the system (rather than to the individual document). The drafting process (2)

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module 10 6 The initial draft is discussed in the working group. v0.0.0 v0.1.0 And a new draft is produced, bearing technical changes. The drafting process (3)

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module 10 7 v0.1.0v0.2.0v0.3.0 … The process is iterative, until … v0.8.0 … the working group is happy with the draft. v1.0.0 Draft is presented for information to the plenary TSG (Technical Body). The drafting process (3)

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module 10 8 v1.0.0v1.1.0v1.2.0 … The document returns to the working group, and drafting continues until … v1.5.0 … the working group believes the draft to be stable enough to come under formal “change control”. v2.0.0 Draft is presented for approval to the plenary TSG (Technical Body). The drafting process (4)

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module 10 9 v2.0.0v2.1.0v2.2.0 … If the TSG does not approve the draft, it may return to the working group for further refinement. This is exceptional. v3.0.0v2.3.0 When the draft is approved to come under change control, it is upgraded to version (assuming Release 1999 – see later). The drafting process (5)

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module The “system” is composed of a coherent set of related specifications. Change control (1) It is still possible to develop the standard further, to add the missing parts, and to correct errors and omissions as the overall system becomes better defined.

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module Consider an individual standard … v3.0.0 If the responsible working group wishes to make a change to it, however small, … … the working group must raise a Change Request. The CR consists of a cover page … … and an extract from the specification under consideration showing, using revision marks, all additions and deletions. Change control (2)

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module For example, a CR to TS may be twice revised during the course of discussions in the WG before it is agreed. CR 4 to CR 4 rev 1 to CR 4 rev 2 to Several iterations of a CR may be required until the WG is happy with it. Change control (3)

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module CR 4 rev 2 to CR 5 rev 1 to CR 6 to All CRs against a given specification (or a given work item) are gathered together by the Support Team* prior to each TSG plenary. A single TDoc is created, with a cover page introducing each individual CR. * In practice, by the Secretary of the WG responsible for the spec. The TSG examines each CR and approves or rejects each. Some CRs may be reworked during the TSG meeting and re-presented (with a new revision number). Change control (4)

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module CR 4 rev 2 to CR 5 rev 1 to The Support Team (MCC) incorporates the approved CRs into the base specification … v3.0.0v3.1.0 Change control (5)

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module v3.1.0v3.2.0v3.3.0 … The controlled revision of specifications can continue in the same manner, with CRs being produced and approved. CRs allow full traceability of the changes wrought on a document since its original approval. Change control (6)

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module Using the Change Control mechanism described, it is always possible to: See the differences from one version of a spec to the next. See the differences from one version of a spec to the next. If necessary, back-track by de-implementing Change Requests which prove to be flawed. If necessary, back-track by de-implementing Change Requests which prove to be flawed. Know exactly what set of specifications a system is to be built to. Know exactly what set of specifications a system is to be built to. Change control (7)

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module The initial “system” is composed of a coherent set of related standards. All these standards have version numbers of the form 3.y.z and are known as Release1999. Eventually, the functionality of Release 1999 became stable. The Release was “frozen”. Once frozen, no more functionality may be added to a Release (or, therefore, to its component specifications). Only essential corrections are permitted. Change control (8)

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module It is now possible to add further functionality in carefully designed features forming part of a new “Release”. Feature 1 specFeature 2 specFeature 3 spec Change control (9)

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module … it is possible to raise Change Requests to each specification to include the new functionality. v3.3.0 Change control (10)

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module v3.3.0v4.0.0v4.1.0 … The addition of the new features to the system implies an upgrade to the next “Release” of the entire system specification. Change control (11)

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module New functionality may equally result in an entirely new specification rather than a change to an existing one. v0.0.0  v1.0.0   v4.0.0 Change control (12)

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module Release 1999Release 4 The result, in due course, is two complete sets of specifications: one for each Release. Implementors (operators and equipment vendors) can choose which Release to build their systems to. Generally, newer Releases will be richer in features, but less tried and tested. Change control (13)

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module A disadvantage of the “release” approach … Release 1999Release 4 An error discovered here … … may require not one CR but two to fix it … … because the same error may have been inherited from the earlier Release! Note that maintaining several parallel releases of the same specification implies very well defined procedures and highly disciplined handling !! Change control (14)

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module A change control system along the lines described enabled the GSM specifications to undergo five controlled releases before the creation of 3GPP, and has allowed a smooth transition from second generation digital mobile communications to third generation and beyond, re-using as many of the basic elements as possible. This mechanism requires meticulous project planning and control… Change control (15)

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module Usually, an individual version of a spec may be withdrawn after its production only if it is replaced with a revised version. For example, a new version of v9.3.0 is produced after meeting SA#50. It is immediately noticed that one CR was incorrectly implemented. A new version is produced straight away to correct the fault, and version is withdrawn. Version will never be transposed into a publication of the OPs. However … Version will remain in the archive directory on the 3GPP server for ever. Withdrawing obsolete specs (1)

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module Consider now that a new version of , v9.4.0, is produced after SA#50. Version is not withdrawn, but remains in the meeting directory pertaining to SA#50. It also remains in the archive directory. But it is obviously superseded by v9.4.0 at SA#51. No maintenance will be done on v9.3.0 once becomes available. Withdrawing obsolete specs (2)

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module Short answer: on the 3GPP file server. So where do I find the 3GPP Technical Specifications?

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module Longer answer: on the 3GPP file server. The following directories are maintained: So where do I find the 3GPP Technical Specifications? Meeting-related directories Hold all specs current as a result of implementing the approvals at the corresponding SA plenary meeting. Latest Holds the latest version of each spec currently under change control. Latest drafts Holds the latest version of each draft spec (i.e. those not yet under change control). Archive Holds every version of every spec, including stopped / withdrawn ones.

© 3GPP 2009 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 19 th February 2009© 3GPP GPP The Training Course / Module For more information visit Or contact