3GPP Technology Trends

This whitepaper, titled “3GPP Technology Trends” by 5G Americas, provides an in-depth exploration of the advancements in 5G technology, particularly focusing on the development of 5G-Advanced. It highlights the significant role of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) in driving innovation and progress in connectivity and communication, emphasizing the transformative potential of 5G-Advanced with its faster data speeds, reduced latency, and ultra-reliability. The whitepaper is essential for understanding the future direction of wireless communication, offering valuable insights into key technologies, features, and use cases that will shape the upcoming era of connectivity.

3GPP 5G-Advanced Key Highlights

Release-17 Enhancements: Discusses significant enhancements introduced in 3GPP Release-17, such as Multiple In Multiple Out (MIMO) for 5G New Radio, Improved Uplink Coverage, Enhanced Sidelink Communications, Positioning Enhancement, and support for Non-Terrestrial Networks. These advancements contribute to a more versatile and efficient 5G ecosystem.

Metaverse and RedCap Devices: Explores cutting-edge topics like the metaverse and RedCap (Reduced Capability) devices in Rel-18. The metaverse is presented as a dynamic concept offering immersive experiences that transcend the physical world. RedCap devices support diverse applications, including wearables and industrial sensors.

AI/ML for Wireless Networks: Details the integration of Machine Learning in the Next-Generation Radio Access Network (NG-RAN) and the expansion of AI/ML specifications into the new radio air interface. It anticipates the comprehensive incorporation of AI/ML use cases in the system architecture, leading up to the study of 6G technology.

Spectrum and Sustainability: Highlights the importance of new spectrum bands in 5G-Advanced and 3GPP’s commitment to addressing climate change. It emphasizes the role of the spectrum in enhancing positioning and sensing capabilities and the organization’s efforts in energy efficiency and resource sustainability.

Key 5G-Advanced Use Cases: Covers several crucial use cases in 5G-Advanced, including the Metaverse, RedCap, Integrated Communication and Sensing (JCAS), and Ambient IoT. These use cases demonstrate recent advancements and emerging technologies in the field.

1. Metaverse Evolution: The whitepaper provides an in-depth exploration of the metaverse, presenting it as a rapidly evolving digital environment. It is characterized as a networked experience that transcends physical boundaries, connecting people, places, objects, and information in real-time. This immersive digital realm has the potential to revolutionize various sectors, including social interactions, healthcare, education, gaming, and business. The advancement of 5G-Advanced plays a crucial role in enabling the seamless, real-time connectivity that the metaverse requires.
2. RedCap (Reduced Capability) Devices: Introduced in NR Rel-17, RedCap devices cater to specific use cases requiring reduced device complexity and compact form factors. They support various applications such as smartwatches, wearable medical devices, AR/VR goggles, industrial wireless sensors, and video surveillance. The whitepaper discusses the ongoing specification work on NR RedCap, aiming to enhance these devices’ features and expand their applications into new areas like smart grid technology.
3. Integrated Communication and Sensing (JCAS): JCAS represents the integration of communication and sensing functionalities within the same system or network. This integration can vary from loosely coupled to fully integrated, involving shared spectrum, hardware, signal processing modules, and network protocol stacks. The whitepaper emphasizes how JCAS extends the cellular network’s capabilities from traditional communication to include sensing the environment. This integration allows devices to sense their surroundings and exchange sensory data, enabling base stations used for cellular services to be repurposed for wide-area RF sensing. The convergence of AI, communications, positioning, and sensing capabilities could lead to the fusion of the physical and digital worlds, offering new services for consumers and industries.
4. Ambient IoT: This section highlights Ambient IoT as a novel category of devices that operate solely on harvested environmental energy. These devices are designed to be maintenance-free, without the need for battery replacements, making them highly cost-effective and simple. Ambient IoT represents the most affordable and power-efficient tier of devices in the IoT spectrum, allowing for the connection of a wide array of objects to networks. The whitepaper discusses the potential applications of Ambient IoT, which include various consumer and industrial use cases.

Life-cycle Management of AI/ML Functionality: Discusses the life-cycle management of AI/ML functionality, outlining the processes for model development, deployment, and maintenance. It emphasizes the importance of lifecycle management in ensuring robust network performance and the ethical deployment of AI​.

5G-Advanced Targeted Questions or Challenges Addressed

• How can the latest advancements in 5G, such as 5G-Advanced, enhance connectivity and communication?
• What are the key technological innovations and use cases in the development of 5G and beyond?
• How is AI/ML being integrated into 5G networks, and what implications does this have for future network intelligence and efficiency?

Benefits of Reading the Whitepaper

Readers will gain a comprehensive understanding of the latest developments in 5G technology, particularly 5G-Advanced. They will learn about the role of 3GPP in driving these innovations and the impact of these advancements on various industries and consumers. The whitepaper also offers insights into the integration of AI/ML in wireless networks, providing a glimpse into the future of connectivity and the evolution towards 6G.