3GPP standards intelligenceIndependent · Source-linked · Updated after plenary meetings

3GPP Explorer

What mobile standards decided — and what those decisions mean.

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Rel-20 · RAN Plenary29 September 2026

RAN#113: 6G migration postponed, NTN scope revised, 5G-Advanced lines drawn

In five agenda items spanning 6G and 5G-Advanced, RAN's September plenary postponed the migration decision to December (RAN#114), approved a revised NTN scope, kept looser transmitter rules out of Rel-20 5G-Advanced, and earmarked power boosting as a potential 6G objective.

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Based on 3GPP meeting documents and agreed contributions. Study agreements are not yet normative specifications.

Current standards status

One generation in service. One still being negotiated.

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5G‑Advanced

Normative work

Standardized and evolving

Release track: Rel-15 → Rel-20
Current edge: AI/ML, Ambient IoT, NTN and energy efficiency
Evidence: 107 tracked decisions
Verified: 30 June 2026

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Study phase

Study agreements, not yet a normative standard

Release track: Rel-20 studies → Rel-21 normative work
Current edge: Requirements, waveform, architecture and migration choices
Evidence: 30 tracked decisions
Verified: 30 June 2026

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3GPP Quarterly · September 2026

The decisions behind the next network release.

13 meetings70 decisionsEvery claim linked to source material

Radio: Bands, RF & NR Evolution

5G phones will get channel feedback within milliseconds of connecting

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.

24 decisionsRead topic →

Satellites, NTN & HAPS

Satellite phones without GPS: per-beam reference points agreed, two-root PRACH narrowed

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.

10 decisionsRead topic →

AI/ML & Analytics

Physical-layer rules for network-side AI/ML beam data collection added to the specification

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.

7 decisionsRead topic →

Read the complete September 2026 issue

Past issues: June 2026 · March 2026 · December 2025 · September 2025 · June 2025 · March 2025

Technology Briefings

Technologies that made it through.

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Rel-20

3GPP closes its post-quantum study and starts rewriting 5G security profiles

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.

33.703 · 33.210 · 33.310Read briefing →

Rel-19

5G femtocells finally get a real specification

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.

23.501 · 23.502 · 29.503Read briefing →

Rel-20

Mobile networks are getting an energy label — and a knob to act on it

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

22.883 · 22.261 · 23.700-44Read briefing →

Explore the source material

Move from the interpretation to the specification.

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Follow what 3GPP actually decided.

Decisions, rejected proposals and changes to 5G‑Advanced and 6G — with links to the source documents. Sent around the 3GPP plenaries and major events.

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