IPLOOK’s Standard Engineer Shares Insights from 3GPP SA WG Meetings in Gothenburg
As an official member of 3GPP, IPLOOK is regularly invited to participate in key industry standardization meetings. Lok Liao, Standard Engineer from IPLOOK’s research group, recently represented the company at the 3GPP SA WG meetings in Gothenburg, where he collaborated with industry partners to discuss and co-draft technical proposals. We invited Mr. Liao to share his experiences, offering a glimpse into IPLOOK’s involvement in shaping global mobile communication standards.
Q&A with Lok Liao: IPLOOK’s 3GPP Participation and Industry Insights
Q: Could you please introduce the research group at IPLOOK?
Lok: Our group focuses on technical research to verify the integration of new technologies with our existing products, as well as conducting feasibility studies for new products. Our goal is to identify future market opportunities and target segments through in-depth technical exploration.
Q: Could you provide an overview of the 3GPP WG CT and SA and their significance in the development of mobile communication systems?
Lok: Core Networks and Terminals (CT) is responsible for technical coordination in areas including:
- Terminal interfaces (logical and physical)
- User equipment to core network protocols
- Interworking with external networks
- Core network protocols of 3GPP systems
3GPP TSG Service and System Aspects (SA) oversees the overall architecture and service capabilities of systems based on 3GPP specifications. As a global initiative, 3GPP ensures mobile communication systems meet international needs, enable seamless interoperability between vendors, and support global mobility. For IPLOOK, our core network products fully comply with 3GPP standards, ensuring high compatibility to serve global market demands.
Q: What are IPLOOK’s key objectives and focus areas in the meeting in Sweden? What contributions did your team make during the standardization process?
Lok: As an industry-leading end-to-end mobile network solution vendor, IPLOOK aims to deepen its participation in future 3GPP meetings leveraging our technical expertise. At the Gothenburg meetings, our focus areas included 5GS (5G System), 5G SAT ACCESS, and NTN (Non-Terrestrial Network) in the RAN domain. We also submitted several CRs (Change Requests) to contribute to standard development.
Q: Could you discuss any particular core network specifications that your team will be working on within WG SA?
Lok: For example, specification 22.261 outlines the service requirements for the 5G system. During the SA1 Meeting in Berlin, China Telecom proposed a new WID (Work Item Description) related to Satellite Access in Phase 3. This provides detailed guidance on satellite access requirements, helping us align our solutions with emerging industry needs.
Q: The 5G technical standards went through from R15 to R18, and its commercial characteristics have been improved. What innovations will be made in 5G technology? What new features will be introduced in R19?
Lok: Rel-19 will see significant enhancements to 5G system capabilities with satellite access. For instance, the FS_5GSAT_Ph3 work item investigates improvements for 5G systems integrated with satellite access, including information collection through satellite connections—features we expect to incorporate into our solutions.
Q: What competitive advantages does IPLOOK offer in terms of its core network solutions, considering the evolving standards developed by 3GPP?
Lok: Firstly, IPLOOK’s core network solutions are highly customizable, making them particularly suitable for entry-level enterprises and operators with unique requirements. Secondly, our products adapt seamlessly to evolving 3GPP standards, thanks to IPLOOK’s dedicated R&D team that focuses on independent development and strict adherence to global standards.
Stay tuned for the full interview video on IPLOOK’s YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/3QOTu05
