In January, China Mobile held a seminar to discuss 5G-Advanced and 3GPP Release 18 (R18), focusing on its strategic direction, current progress, and next steps—with participation from over 40 industry experts.
5G-Advanced and 3GPP R18
5.5G was officially named 5G-Advanced by 3GPP in April 2021. 3GPP R18, as the first standardized release of 5G-Advanced, marks the official launch of the 5G-Advanced standardization phase and has sparked widespread discussion across the telecom industry.
After six months of intensive discussions and negotiations involving approximately 163 companies, 3GPP has finalized 56 projects</strong related to both the Radio Access Network (RAN) and Service & System Aspects (SA) for R18.
The timeline of 3GPP standard
The key characteristics of R18 lie in its integration with emerging services and the enhancement of network capabilities to support new use cases. During the seminar, the “5G XR and Enhanced Multimedia” project—supported by 82 companies—ranked first among all R18 initiatives, reflecting the growing demand for immersive experiences and signaling a potential pathway toward metaverse-like applications.
Three Expert Recommendations for Advancing 5G-Advanced
Despite global challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, standardization efforts have made remarkable progress. Experts emphasized that broader participation from telecom industry stakeholders is essential to maximize 5G’s societal and economic value.
Based on in-depth discussions, professionals proposed three strategic recommendations:
- Innovate collaboratively with industrial partners based on specific requirements—developing future-ready networks and driving the positive evolution of 5G-Advanced.
- Unify standards development by aligning on a common vision and working collectively across the industry to establish a coherent and interoperable 5G-Advanced framework.
- Integrate the industry and innovation chains to accelerate technology adoption and foster a new industrial ecosystem shaped by 5G-Advanced.
IPLOOK’s Commitment to 5G-Advanced
As a leading provider of mobile core network solutions, IPLOOK is deeply committed to advancing cutting-edge technologies through close collaboration with global partners.
IPLOOK will continue to actively monitor, engage in, and contribute to the development of 5G-Advanced—promoting its research outcomes across diverse industries and supporting the sustainable growth of the global telecom ecosystem.
