3GPP Explorer
What mobile standards decided — and what those decisions mean.
Over four releases, NR sidelink grew from a direct vehicle-to-vehicle link into a toolbox of power saving, relaying, multi-path, shared-spectrum and multi-hop features that let a UE reach other UEs and the network well beyond direct radio range.
Based on 3GPP meeting documents and agreed contributions. Study agreements are not yet normative specifications.
Current standards status
5G‑Advanced
Normative workStandardized and evolving
6G
Study phaseStudy agreements, not yet a normative standard
3GPP Quarterly · September 2026
Radio: Bands, RF & NR Evolution
A 3 ms clock and a dedicated MAC-CE slot field for early channel reports are agreed; Huawei, ZTE, NTT DOCOMO and Sony lost on retransmissions.
Satellites, NTN & HAPS
Per-beam reference points are agreed and the two-sequence PRACH design is narrowed over lone objections from ZTE and OPPO; other variants and signaling details stay open.
AI/ML & Analytics
The physical-layer specification now describes the constraints for CSI-RS measurements that the network configures for logged (L3) data collection, closing a gap between the new RRC configuration and TS 38.214.
Past issues: June 2026 · March 2026 · December 2025 · September 2025 · June 2025 · March 2025
Technology Briefings
Rel-20
3GPP's security group has finished its study of how 5G moves to post-quantum cryptography. The first normative work on the core network's security profiles is under way, and the study text is already being updated as IETF standards land.
Rel-19
3GPP's TSG SA plenary #105 approved a Release 19 work item, led by NTT DOCOMO, to write normative specifications for 5G NR Femto access points in homes and small businesses.
Rel-20
Operators from AT&T to Orange and Telefónica backed Release 20 requirements, led by Nokia, that turn energy use, energy sources and CO2 emissions into criteria a customer can see and steer services by
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