All you always wanted to know about 3GPP … but were too afraid to ask.

All you always wanted to know about 3GPP …but were too afraid to ask. The 3GPP Seminar

The 3GPP SeminarModule n • Hints for Getting Results - a guide for chairmen

3GPP Working Methods are Tools Choosing the right tool for the job is the Chairman’s Task

Picking the Right Tools for the Job • Starting Work • Priorities • Coordination • Getting Agreement • Finishing Work

Starting Work • Start it as a WID • Feature/BB/WID • WG/TSG Wide/3GPP Wide • Scope can change over time • Can include TR work • Start it as a SID • Good when a solution isn’t clear • Brainstorming often done in xx.8xx series specification • Do it as TEI • Only when resolved in a single meeting and single CR • Do it first and ask for permission later • Not recommended, but happens • The Workplan is a tracking tool not a work approval tool • Should be aligned with WIDs/SIDs at Feature/BB level

Work priorities • 3GPP is contribution driven • Priorities may be decided on WG or TSG level • TSGs can coordinate work across groups • SA can make across 3GPP prioritization • The completion date in the WID or SID • Date is typically a “sunny day” estimate • Chairman’s job is to try and make estimates as realistic as possible • Don’t spend too much time on completion date – Ultimate outcome depends on when then work completes • Meeting Time Allocation • Encourage offline discussion • Ah-Hocs or meetings with restricted scope • Subworking groups • Agenda allocation • Allocating to a release • Should not be discussed at WG level (TSG level discussion) • Early implementation mechanism defined in 3GPP (rarely used) • Release independent mechanism not defined in 3GPP (often used)

Coordination • Coordination between 3GPP groups • Company (Individual coordination) • Status reports • Chair tasked with coordinating with the group • Liaision statements • Colocated meetings • Joint meetings <- Most joint meetings are not formally joint meetings • Coordination with groups outside 3GPP • Company (Individual coordination) • Chair tasked with coordinating with the group • Liaision statements • Colocated meetings • Joint meetings <- Usually not possible • ITU coordination is special • Conflict with National Positions toward ITU • Special coordination groups for ITU-T and ITU-R • If to become part of an ITU deliverable then needs to go to PCG

Formal vs Informal Agreement • Informal Tools • Consensus in the meeting • Consensus on email • Chair’s edict • Formal Tools • Vote • Working Agreement

Consensus Building Tools • Coffee break/offline sessions • Appoint a coordinator that you can rely on to be fair • Ensure the scope of the offline discussions are clear • Ensure people know who to contact for inclusion • Postponement until later in the meeting • A bit like offline sessions, but less organized (usually if companies aren’t objecting but request more time) • Indicative Show of Hands • If asked then “by company”* – companies generally vote by IM • Questions don’t need to be as formal as voting questions • Discussion until Exhaustion • Late sessions on a topic • Generally leads to bad agreements as “fuzzy” agreements can be reached • Chairman’s Compromise • If the two sides are close, then propose a specific compromise. • Proposals from the chair carry extra weight *Note: unless it is something like meeting hours and then it makes more sense to do it by delegate

Email Discussions • Useful for preliminary consensus building • When there are very few views on an issues • Companies have more time to consider views • Useful for specific, limited decisions • Email approvals can be done • Needs a specific coordinator and deadline • Not very useful for critical decisions • Hard to judge overall sense of the group • Discussions can become multi-threaded and hard to follow

Understanding Roots of a Conflict • Understanding the base rational is a key step to resolving the issue • Between Operators • Differences in deployment strategy • IPR considerations • Technical disagreement • Between Vendors • Already developed or planned products • IPR considerations • Technical disagreement • Between Operators and Vendors • Deployment options vs common evolution • IPR considerations • Technical disagreement

Finishing Work • Work may or may not be tracked in a report • Done by RAN • Terms often used in specs • Information (60% of development work) • Approving (80% of development work) • Frozen (99% of development work) [By Release] • Deep Freezing [FASMO] (95% of errors fixed) [By Release] • Closed (100% of errors) [By Release] • Tentatively allocated to a release by SA • Freezing by Stages • Exceptions required if past freeze date • Some TR (or TS) may be abandoned • Often happens with 800 series TRs

All you always wanted to know about 3GPP … but were too afraid to ask.