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-5G

(A.) Policy and legislation

(A.1) Policy objectives

The 2015 digital single market (DSM) strategy and the communication “Towards connectivity for a European gigabit society” identify very high-capacity networks like 5G as a key asset for global competitiveness. In addition to fibre-like performance for mobile networks, the benefits of adopting 5G go beyond the telecom sector to enable a fully mobile and connected society and to empower socioeconomic transformations in a variety of ways (many of which are not possible at present. These transformations include higher productivity, sustainability, well-being and innovation opportunities for smaller actors and start-ups. 5G makes a new wave of convergence possible through digital business models reaching non-ICT-native industrial sectors. In that context, the EU sees 5G as a core infrastructure to support the DSM strategy’s wider objectives for the digitisation of the industry.

The strategy for Digitising European Industry and the Communication on ICT standardisation priorities for the digital single market announced the European Commission’s intention to develop a 5G action plan for EU-wide deployment, which was adopted in September 2016. The communication draws on multiple consultations, events4 with stakeholders, a targeted survey5, several studies, a 5G industry manifesto6 and early results of the 5G-PPP. It presents a set of targeted actions for a timely and coordinated deployment of 5G networks in Europe through a partnership between the Commission, Member States, and industry. It leverages the new opportunities offered by the revised telecommunication regulatory framework by putting it in the context of a concrete European project of high added value for businesses and citizen.

Furthermore, Member States, in the Ministerial Declaration of Tallinn of July 20177 have identified the objective of preserving 5G global interoperability as key in order to make 5G a success for Europe. Standards are of paramount importance to ensure the competitiveness and interoperability of global telecommunication networks. Therefore Member States endorse a “comprehensive and inclusive approach to 5G standardisation as a priority for the DSM”. Member States promote “cross-industry partnerships to support the timely definition of standards backed by industrial user experiments, including through the leveraging of international cooperation partnerships, in particular for the digitisation of industry. Encouraging innovation and development of products and services making use of 5G networks across the EU should be a priority”.

In addition, the EU toolbox for 5G security constitutes an important milestone as it puts in place an EU coordinated approach to secure 5G networks calling notably on implementation of 5G standards across Europe as part of relevant tools.

Following the publication of the EU toolbox for 5G cybersecurity, the Commission launched in February 2020 the strategy “Shaping Europe’s digital future”, with the objective of making EU a global leader in the digital economy. Connectivity, and 5G in particular, is identified as one of the most fundamental building blocks.

The Communication on Europe’s Digital strategy calls Europe to invest more in the strategic capacities that allow us to develop and use digital solutions at scale and to strive for interoperability in key digital infrastructures, such as extensive 5G (and future 6G) networks and deep tech.

In the Conclusions of the Special meeting of the European Council (1 and 2 October 2020), accelerating 5G deployment was identified as an area eligible for Recovery and Resilience Facility funding, (of which at least 20% will be made available for the digital transition). Furthermore, “to ensure the rapid deployment of 5G across the EU, the European Council also urges all Member States to submit their national plans on the roll-out of 5G to the Commission by the end of this year, as set out in the 5G Action Plan”.

Despite the many anticipated benefits of 5G networks, there are a number of challenges and concerns pertaining to the area of public and internal security. In the context of a Europe that protects, the European Commission identified 5G networks as a strategic asset therefore requiring high cybersecurity standards8 and preserving lawful investigation capabilities9. To attain these objectives, the needs of the law enforcement and other relevant authorities in the area of public and internal security should be taken on board though a coordinated approach in view of the ongoing 5G standardisation activities10.

(A.2) EC perspective and progress report

The Communication on ICT standardisation priorities identified 5G standards as key to competitiveness and the interoperability of global networks, with stakeholders from different standardisation cultures called upon to collaborate. It also details the actions required.

The first phase of 5G standardisation was completed, with the publication by ETSI of its 3GPP Release-15 set of specifications. This first phase focused on enhanced mobile broadband while also supporting ultra-reliability and low latency.

The second phase of 5G standardisation has now been completed with 3GPP Release-16. It provides the basis for 3GPP’s IMT-2020 submission for an initial full 3GPP 5G system, and work on 3GPP Release-17 is ongoing.

Release 16 takes into account a number of functionalities needed for 5G deployment by vertical industry, as called for by the EU 5G strategy. This includes notably: Integrated access and backhaul (IAB), easing deployment where fibre is not accessible; NR in unlicensed spectrum, multi factories applications; Features related to Industrial Internet of Things(IIoT) and ultra-reliable low latency communication (URLLC); positioning; intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and vehicle-to-anything (V2X) communications with additional use cases taken into account.

Release-16 delivered key standards for use-cases such as those related to industrial applications, and transversal needs such as lawful interception and lawful access to retained data. The availability of standards promoting open innovation and opportunities for start-ups is also key.

Release-17 has now been delayed by 6 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has prompted SDO’s to work exclusively online during the majority of 2020. It is now planned for completion end of 2021. It will again include additional features making the standards more widely applicable and with even better performance characteristics. It will for instance cover non Terrestrial networks (NTN), enhanced coverage capabilities (NR Light), higher positioning accuracy, RAN slicing, power saving options, applicability of NR up to 71 GHz, additional URLLC improvements for industrial applications, NR sidelinks for V2V applications.

The work on Release-18 has not yet started, but a large workshop to define its content is planned by 3GPP in June 2021.

In support of EU industrial capabilities, the Commission launched a 5G public-private-partnership (5G PPP) in 2013 which entered its third phase in 2018. The 5G PPP is designed to deliver solutions, architectures, technologies and standards for the ubiquitous next generation communication infrastructures of the coming decade. It has recently successfully performed in depth piloting of 5G technology in critical industrial sectors, showing the usability of 5G for multiple use cases.

The European Commission has called on Member States and industry to commit to the following objectives: 

  • a standardisation approach that preserves future evolution capabilities and aims at availability of 5G global standards by end of 2019;
  • a holistic standardisation approach encompassing both radio access and core networks as coordinated activities within global standardisation bodies, encompassing disruptive use-cases and promoting open innovation;
  • establishment of cross-industry partnerships by 2017, at the latest, to support timely standard-setting, partly by leveraging international cooperation partnerships, in particular towards the digitisation of industry.

In October 2018 the European Commission hosted a 3GPP workshop in the context of the submission of the 3GPP 5G specifications to the ITU. The aim is to inform the ITU sanctioned Evaluation Groups, policy makers and interested experts on the progress of the 3GPP work to meet and exceed the performance requirements for IMT-2020 radio interface technologies. 3GPP’s 5G standard has been submitted to the ITU evaluation process in July 2019, which was the target date to submit to ITU the candidate technologies to obtain acceptance as an IMT-2020 technology (the 5G label). As part of the ITU process on the evaluation of candidate technologies (RIT/SRIT), the 5G PPP has provided the only European evaluation group that submitted its analysis and findings to ITU successfully in 2020.

The Commission is also taking steps, through the FPI Project on internationalisation of EU ICT standardisation, to support the organisation of more 3GPP meetings in Europe, in order to facilitate the active participation of a broad range of European delegates, from key industrial players, but also SMEs, academia and research institutions. This project intends to provide financial support for the organisation of 3GPP meetings in the EU, and echoes recurring requests from administration and smaller industrial stakeholders to have SDO meetings organised in Europe.

For Horizon Europe, the new Framework Programme starting in 2021, the Commission is preparing an industry-led European partnership on “Smart Networks and Services beyond 5G and towards 6G”, to maintain technology leadership and sovereignty.

In addition, to ensure the proper functioning of the law enforcement to detect and investigate serious crime and terrorism, there is a need to provide for contingency on lawful interception and lawful disclosure for the law enforcement. To this end, it is of utmost importance to provide for adequate technical means for the law enforcement to be able to request for lawful interception also in the context of 5G networks.

Concerning that, four main challenges have been identified so far that could benefit from an appropriate standardisation activity, namely:

  • Being able to perform Mobile Subscriber Identification and Localisation by authorized LEAs on the radio with the assistance of Mobile Network Operators aside new strong 5G security features to get permanent digital IDs and precise localisation.
  • Being able to benefit from a complete copy of intercepted communications with precise location information despite fragmentation, slicing and virtualization of 5G e.g. multi-access edge computing systems and international private networks.
  • Being able to benefit from a clear copy of intercepted communications (only 5G native encryption is concerned, OTTs encryption is out of scope), even if the target is an inbound roamer (encrypted S8HR and N9HR roaming agreement) or a user of encrypted new mobile messaging services such RCS.
  • Ensuring the network based confidentiality and integrity of lawful interception systems considering that they will become logical components in 5G networks and may move outside of European jurisdictions.
  • Ensuring a trusted access to electronic evidence by developing standardised electronic interfaces (e.g. from ETSI TC LI or 3GPP Sa3 LI working group) and supporting cross-border exchange of electronic evidence (e.g. the e-Evidence Digital Exchange System, eEDES) based on ETSI /3GPP standards.

These functional capabilities should be maintained without causing exorbitant impediments to the core functions and benefit of the 5G networks and also be in line with current obligations on electronic communications networks and services to provide for such services to the law enforcement.

(A.3) References

(B.) Requested actions

The Communication on ICT standardisation priorities for the digital single market proposes priority actions on 5G, some of which are reflected in section C.2

Action 1 Global industry standards. Foster the emergence of global industry standards under EU leadership for key 5G technologies (radio access network, core network) and network architectures notably through the exploitation of 5G public-private partnership results in key EU and international standardisation bodies (3GPP, ITU, ETSI NFV) so to improve the current spectrum efficiency.

Action 2 High-level events. Ensure that 5G standards are compatible with innovative use-cases of vertical industries and ensure sufficient spectrum-sharing capabilities, notably through broader participation of industries and authorities with sector-specific needs and in close collaboration with other industry specific standards developing organisations, in 5G standardisation organisations.

Action 3 Lawful interception and lawful disclosure related standards. Foster the emergence of standards that ensure proper provisions for enabling legal interception mechanisms in the context of 5G networks by encouraging and coordinating law enforcement involvement in 5G standardisation related committees (e.g. ETSI TC LI, 3GPP SA3-LI) and promoting a European approach based on its legal system.

Action 4  SDOs to work with the stakeholders in standardisation to deliver a report on the standardisation needs and specific requirements for the uptake of 5G in vertical sectors (e.g. transportation, healthcare, manufacturing, energy)

(C.) Activities and additional information  

(C.1) Related standardisation activities
3GPP

Release 16 is a major release for the project, not least because it brings our IMT-2020 submission - for an initial full 3GPP 5G system - to its completion (see details below).

In addition to that formal process, work has progressed on around 25 Release 16 studies, on a variety of topics: Multimedia Priority Service, Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) application layer services, 5G satellite access, Local Area Network support in 5G, wireless and wireline convergence for 5G, terminal positioning and location, communications in vertical domains and network automation and novel radio techniques. Further items being studied include security, codecs and streaming services, Local Area Network interworking, network slicing and the IoT.

As with previous generations of mobile technology, 3GPP will follow Release 16 with a continuous programme of 5G standardisation, delivering performance enhancements and new features required by the market in a series of periodic releases.

5G-ACIA

5G-ACIA is an alliance formed to ensure that the needs of the automation industry are considered, fostering developing a 5G technology that addresses industrial requirements. 5G-ACIA aims at being the central global forum for shaping 5G in the industrial domain. See https://www.5g-acia.org/

ETSI (DECT)

ETSI TC DECT has started the standardisation of the new DECT-2020 system. DECT-2020 is a new radio interface supporting Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communications (URLLC) and Machine Type Communications (MTC) as specified for IMT-2020 usage scenarios. The new DECT-2020 air interface will co-exist with the existing DECT system.

DECT-2020 has been submitted to ITU-R as an IMT-2020 candidate technology.

ETSI’s DECT specification is the leading standard around the world for digital cordless telecommunications. Over 1 billion devices have been installed worldwide: the system has been adopted in over 110 countries and more than 100 million new devices are sold every year. DECT products now account for more than 90% of the world’s cordless market. The DECT standard has already been accepted as an IMT-2000 radio interface technology.

ETSI

TC LI: see ETSI TS102 656, and ETSI TS 102 657

Relevant work on broad spectrum of 5G related issues also takes place in the following ETSI ISGs and other projects:

  • ISG NFV (Network Functions Virtualisation): defines NFV as a key technology enabler for 5G: http://etsi.org/nfv/.
  • OSM (Open Source MANO): - http://osm.etsi.org/
  • ISG MEC (Multi-Access Edge Computing)
  • ISG ENI (Experiential Networked Intelligence)
  • ISG NIN (non-IP Networking)
  • ISG F5G (Fixed 5G)
  • ISG mWT (millimetre wave transmission)
  • TC EE (Environmental Engineering)
  • TC MSG TFES
  • SAGE (Security Algorithms Group of Experts)
GSMA

The GSMA (Global System for Mobile Communications) represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with more than 300 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, and software companies. Mobile operators will play a key role in 5G, as they will provide the infrastructure and services to a wide spectrum of 5G applications, from consumer mobile telephony to vertical industrial applications such as agricultural monitoring.

For more details see https://www.gsma.com/futurenetworks/technology/understanding-5g/

IEEE
  • IEEE has many efforts underway to develop next generation communications standards.
  • IEEE P802.11ax is an extension of the current WLAN standards by improving aggregated throughput with high user density. IEEE P802.11ax targets Mid Band, sub 6GHz unlicensed spectrum. IEEE P802.11ax meets the requirements for Indoor Hotspot and Dense Urban Areas according to an evaluation of IEEE P802.11ax performance vis-a-vis IMT-2020 criteria, which was endorsed by the IEEE 802.11 Working Group.
  • IEEE P802.11ay targets bonding 2GHz channels to achieve extremely high point to point throughput in excess of 20 Mb/s. IEEE P802.11ay is implemented in the unlicensed millimeter wave band (60GHz)
  • IEEE P802.11bd is evolution of IEEE 802.11p for next generation V2X communication
  • Packet-based fronthaul transport networks in support of dense deployments of very small cells (IEEE P1914.1)
  • Radio over Ethernet (IEEE P1914.3) in support of backhaul and fronthaul over Ethernet
  • Precision Timing Protocol (IEEE 1588) which enables phase synchronous wireless networks such as LTE TDD
  • IEEE 802 access network (IEEE P802.1CF) and time sensitive networking for fronthaul (IEEE P802.CM)
  • Tactile networking: IEEE P1918.1 covering application scenarios, architecture and functions, IEEE P1918.1.1 specifies Haptic Codecs
  • Radio Regulatory Technical Advisory Group (IEEE 802.18) and Wireless Coexistence (IEEE 802.19)
  • IEEE 802.11 organised a Coexistence Workshop with 3GPP RAN, the Wireless Broadband Alliance and ETSI BRAN in Vienna, Austria, on 17th July 2019. More information is available at http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/802/11/Workshops/2019-July-Coex/2019-07-Coex-agenda-2.htm
  • For a list of these and other IEEE standardisation activities related to 5G and next generation communications technologies, please see: https://ieeesa.io/rp-5g
ITU

In ITU, 5G technologies are discussed under the IMT-2020 banner. ITU-T SG13, SG11, SG15 and SG5, complemented by ITU-R WP5D are driving the 5G standardisation in ITU.

ITU-R WP5D is responsible for the overall radio system aspects of International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) systems, comprising the IMT-2000, IMT-Advanced and IMT for 2020 and beyond. It has developed several Recommendations and Reports on performance requirements, spectrum requirements, radio interfaces, frequency bands, spectrum sharing and compatibility, as well as IMT specifications and related technologies.

More info: https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-R/study-groups/rsg5/rwp5d

ITU-T Focus Group on IMT-2020 (FG-IMT) delivered (2016) a Gap Analysis document “overview of technical developments at the network part of the 5G networks” including 85 technical areas for future 5G standardisation and nine deliverables in the following areas:

  • terms and definitions for IMT-2020;
  • high-level network architecture for 5G; network softwarization;
  • Information Centric Networking (ICN);
  • Fixed and Mobile Convergence.

More info: http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/focusgroups/imt-2020/Documents/T13-SG13-151130-TD-PLEN-0208!!MSW-E.docx

See a related flipbook, capturing all the deliverables of this FG, at: http://www.itu.int/en/publications/Documents/tsb/2017-IMT2020-deliverables/mobile/index.html#p=1

Another flipbook “5G Proof-of-Concept Demonstrations” depicts the demonstrations run at two workshops organized by the FG IMT2020 in 2016 and 2017.

ITU-T SG13 on Future networks, with focus on IMT 2020, has approved 41 standards on 5G, including IMT-2020-related terms and definitions, architecture, QoS functional requirements, slicing, orchestration, information-centric networking, FMC, machine learning in future networks including IMT-2020 etc. (e.g. ITU-T Y.3100, Y.3106, Y.3107, Y.3170, Y.3172), and 6 Supplements. It has ~42 work items under development. Current work includes: requirements for latency guarantee in IMT-2020 network ( Y.IMT2020-qos-lg), architecture for machine learning function orchestrator (Y.ML-IMT2020-MLFO),), capability exposure function (Y.IMT2020-CEFEC), requirements of fixed, mobile and satellite convergence in IMT-2020 network (Y.FMSC-req) etc.

More info: https://www.itu.int/itu-t/workprog/wp_search.aspx?isn_sp=3925&isn_sg=3932&isn_status=-1,1,3,2&pg_size=100&details=0&field=acdefghijo

A flipbook “5G Basics” is a collection of available ITU-T standardisation outcomes by end of 2017 that led to IMT-2020 standards.

ITU-T SG13 through its daughter group, JCA-IMT2020 maintains the online Roadmap for IMT-2020. It captures the ongoing IMT-2020 (network aspects) standardisation efforts in different SDOs and ITU-T along with pointers to the actual specification/Recommendation location. A snapshot of it was published in March 2020 as ITU-T Supplement 59 to Y.3100-series Recommendations “IMT-2020 standardisation roadmap”.

More info: https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/studygroups/2017-2020/13

ITU-T SG11 set up new subcategories for ITU-T Recommendations dealing with signalling requirements and protocols for IMT-2020 – ITU-T Q.5000-Q.5049. Under this subcategory, SG11 approved five standards, including Recommendation ITU-T Q.5001 “Signalling requirements and architecture of intelligent edge computing”; Recommendation ITU-T Q.5002 “Signalling requirements and architecture for media service entity attachment”; Recommendation ITU-T Q.5020: Protocol requirements and procedures for network slice lifecycle management; Recommendation ITU-T Q.5021 on “Protocol for managing capability exposure APIs in IMT-2020 network” and Recommendation ITU-T Q.5022 “Signalling procedure of energy efficient device-to-device communication for IMT-2020 network”. Ongoing work includes protocol framework for IMT-2020 (Q.IMT2020-PFW), Protocol for managing Intelligent Network Slicing with AI-assisted analysis in IMT-2020 network (Q.INS-PM), Signalling architecture of Lite IMS for IMT-2020 advanced network (Q.LiteIMS-SA), Requirement, framework and protocols for signalling network analyses and optimization in IMT-2020 (Q.IMT2020-SAO), Protocol for IMT-2020 network Integration with Time Sensitive Network (Q.IITSN), Protocol for providing intelligent analysis services in IMT-2020 network (Q.IMT2020-PIAS), Protocol for managing User Plane function in IMT-2020 network (Q.PMUPF) etc.

More info: https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/studygroups/2017-2020/11

ITU-T SG15 on Transport, Access and Home is developing Recommendations ITU-T G.8300-series “Mobile network transport aspects”.  SG15 approved the following 5G related Recommendations:

  • ITU-T G.8300: Characteristics of transport networks to support IMT-2020/5G

In addition, ITU-T SG15 initiated the approval process for the following Recommendations:

  • ITU-T G.8310: Functional architecture for metro transport network
  • ITU-T G.8312: Interfaces for a metro transport network

More info: https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/studygroups/2017-2020/15

ITU- T Focus Group on Machine Learning for 5G network (FG ML5G) is working towards application of the machine learning techniques to the IMT-2020 operation. Current outputs of the FG-ML5G include:

  • Unified architecture for machine learning in 5G and future networks (approved by SG13 as “Architectural framework for machine learning in future networks including IMT-2020”)
  • ITU’s ML-Aware Network Architecture: Bringing Intelligence to Verticals

Future deliverables will include use cases and requirements for ML in 5G and data handling framework to enable ML for future networks and method for evaluating mobile network intelligence level. More information at:  https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/focusgroups/ml5g

ITU-T SG5 is responsible for studying methodologies for evaluating the effects of ICTs on climate change and the circular economy. It has developed a series of nine ITU-T Recommendations, Supplements and Technical Reports related to the environmental aspects of 5G, which cover aspects ranging from innovative energy storage (ITU-T L.1220) (ITU-T L.1221) (ITU-T L.1222), energy efficiency for future 5G systems (ITU-T L.Suppl.36), 5G technology and human exposure to RF and electromagnetic compatibility - EMF (ITU-T K.Suppl.9).

More info: https://www.itu.int/itu-t/workprog/wp_search.aspx?sg=5

https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/studygroups/2017-2020/05

For detailed information on the 5G standardisation work within ITU-T, see: https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/studygroups/2017-2020/13/Documents/5G/ITU-5G-Activities.pdf

Other activities related to standardisation 

EC

There are several projects funded by the European Commission, dealing with 5G standardisation. Also, the 5G PPP deals with some issues connected to 5G standardisation.

https://5g-ppp.eu/

 (C.2) additional information

Interactions between IETF and 5G developments fall into several categories:

  • New dependencies on existing IETF technology: For instance, introducing a flexible authentication framework based on EAP (RFC 3748RFC 5448). This work is being addressed in the EAP Method Update (EMU) Working Group. This working group has been chartered to provide updates to some commonly used EAP methods. Specifically, the working group shall produce documents to:
  • Provide guidance or updates to enable the use of TLS 1.3 in the context of EAP TLS (RFC 5216). Update the security considerations relating to EAP TLS, to document the implications of using new vs. old TLS versions, any recently gained new knowledge on vulnerabilities, and the possible implications of pervasive surveillance.
  • Update the EAP-AKA’ specification (RFC 5448) to ensure that its capability to provide a cryptographic binding to network context stays in sync with what updates may come to the referenced 3GPP specifications through the use of EAP in 5G.
  • Dependencies on ongoing IETF work: The IETF Deterministic Networking (DETNET) Working Group defines mechanisms to guarantee deterministic delays for some flows across a network. As one of the 5G use cases is time-critical communication and low-latency applications, this is a component technology that is being looked at. Similarly, IETF routing-related work such as traffic engineeringservice chaining and source routing are likely tools for managing traffic flows in 5G networks, as they are for other large service provider networks. 5G-related topics are also discussed in the Distributed Mobility Management Working Group.
  • There are many IETF tools already for dealing with virtualisation and separation of networks (see 3.1.2 Cloud computing, below), so the first order of business is mapping what can be done with those tools for the 5G use cases. https://trac.ietf.org/trac/iab/wiki Multi-Stake-Holder-Platform#FiveG

 

4 see: e.g. https://5g-ppp.eu/event-calendar/#

5 https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/news/have-your-say-coordinated-introduction-5g-networks-europe

6 Industry  Manifesto 7 July 2016: http://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/document.cfm?action=display&doc_id=16579

7 Ministerial Declaration “Making 5G a success for Europe” signed during the informal meeting of competitiveness and telecommunications ministers on 18 July in Tallinn

8 Commission Recommendation of 26 March 2019 on Cybersecurity of 5G networks

9 8268/19 11 April 2019, Position paper on 5G, Europol

10 8983/19 6 May 2019, Law enforcement and judicial aspects related to 5G, EU counter Terrorism coordinator