Description
MCVideo Emergency Group (MVEG) is a functional entity within the 3GPP Mission Critical Video (MCVideo) framework that represents a collection of users authorized to participate in emergency-related video communications. It is a specialized type of group managed by the Group Management System, which is part of the MCVideo service architecture. An MVEG can be statically configured in advance, such as a roster of all paramedics in a city, or dynamically formed in response to an ongoing emergency, based on criteria like geographic location, role, or availability. The group is used as the distribution list for MCVideo Emergency Alerts (MVEA) and as the participant set for MCVideo Emergency Group Calls (MVEGC), ensuring that video communications are targeted effectively.
Architecturally, MVEG is maintained by the MCVideo application server, which interfaces with the Group Management System. This system stores group definitions, membership lists, and policies (e.g., who can join, initiate calls, or receive alerts). The group data may be provisioned by network operators or public safety agencies, often integrated with external databases like personnel management systems. When an emergency occurs, the MCVideo server queries the Group Management System to resolve the MVEG membership, which may involve real-time location updates from the network. The group's identity is typically represented by a unique identifier, such as a Group ID, which is used in signaling protocols like Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) for IMS-based session establishment.
How MVEG works involves several processes. During service provisioning, group administrators define the MVEG parameters, including name, purpose, and member list. In operation, when an MVEA or MVEGC is initiated, the MCVideo server validates that the initiator is authorized for that specific MVEG and then retrieves the current member list. For dynamic groups, the server may use network exposure functions to obtain real-time user locations or statuses from the 5G core network. The server then orchestrates the communication session, ensuring each member's device is notified and can join. The role of MVEG in the network is to provide a scalable and manageable way to organize users for emergency video services, which is essential for coordinated responses, reducing communication clutter, and ensuring that only relevant personnel receive critical information, thereby improving operational efficiency and safety.
Purpose & Motivation
MVEG was created to solve the organizational challenges in emergency video communications, where ad-hoc coordination can lead to delays and missed information. Before its standardization, emergency groups were often managed manually via radio channels or simple contact lists, which were inflexible and prone to errors during high-stress situations. The limitations included difficulty in updating members in real-time, lack of integration with network location services, and no standardized way to link groups with multimedia alerts. This hindered effective mass notification and group calling in critical scenarios.
The motivation for MVEG arose from the need to leverage digital group management in broadband public safety networks. As Mission Critical Services evolved to include video, it became clear that static groups were insufficient for dynamic emergencies where responders' locations and roles change rapidly. MVEG enables automated, criteria-based group formation—for example, creating a group of all police officers within a 1-kilometer radius of an incident. This ensures that alerts and calls reach exactly those who need them, enhancing situational awareness and response speed.
Historically, group management in legacy LMR systems was limited and vendor-specific. 3GPP standardized MVEG as part of MCVideo to ensure interoperability across different networks and devices, which is crucial for multi-agency operations. It addresses the problem of inefficient communication by providing a structured, network-aware group entity that integrates with other MCS components. By defining MVEG, 3GPP enabled scalable emergency video services that can adapt to real-time conditions, ultimately supporting faster and more accurate emergency responses in modern public safety communications.
Detected Changes Across Releases
from 3GPP Change RequestsSpecific changes extracted from the „Change history“ tables of 3GPP specifications (122 CRs across 5 releases). Complements the general historical overview above with the evidence-based evolution of this function.
Studied in Rel-14, normative work from Rel-15.
In Release 15, the MVEG (MCVideo Emergency Group) function was introduced with specific procedures for MCVideo emergency group state management and location triggering criteria. This included defining the client's internal perspective of an MCVideo emergency group state maintained by the controlling MCVideo function. The release also completed necessary IANA registrations for MCVideo to support these functions.
- MCVideo ambient viewing client procedures TS 24.281CR0033
- MCVideo ambient viewing participating MCVideo function procedures and controlling MCVideo function procedures TS 24.281CR0034
- MCVideo ambient viewing general description TS 24.281CR0035
- Usage of MBMS for MCVideo - signaling control TS 24.281CR0037
- Subscription to group dynamic data TS 24.281CR0061
- Correction to session-type in XML schema for MCVideo Information TS 24.281CR0039
+ 9 more changes
In Release 16, the MVEG function was enhanced with support for off-network MCVideo operations, as indicated by the new "Off-network MCVideo support" capability. Furthermore, the release introduced corrections and fixes to core emergency procedures, including emergency alert elements and location schemas, and completed necessary IANA registrations for protocol parameters. These updates refined the existing framework for MCVideo emergency group calls and alerts, both on-network and off-network.
In Release 17, the MVEG function was enhanced with new capabilities for emergency alert area notifications and geographic area entry/exit handling for groups, alongside the addition of preconfigured regroup functionality. The release also introduced more precise location reporting by adding altitude, timestamp, and accuracy attributes to the MCVideo location XML schema. Furthermore, it established foundational interconnect procedures for critical functions like Emergency Alerts, Functional Aliases, and Affiliation to enable interoperability between different MCVideo systems.
- Functional Alias usage in MCVideo Call TS 24.281CR0093
- Add altitude, timestamp to MCVideo location XML schema TS 24.281CR0095
- Add preconfigured regroup to MCVideo TS 24.281CR0096
- Control per service authorizations limit for MCVideo service TS 24.281CR0100
- Check for Preconfigured Group Use Only TS 24.281CR0104
- Call control - Restricting MCVideo private communications TS 24.281CR0105
+ 34 more changes
In Release 18, the MVEG (MCVideo Emergency Group) function was enhanced to support emergency and imminent peril ad hoc group calls, including procedures for participants to modify or subscribe to information within these calls. It also introduced support for MCVideo over 5G ProSe and the use of 5G MBS transmission, expanding the technological foundations for emergency communications. Furthermore, new location request and reporting configuration procedures were added, enabling authorized users to obtain location information with functional aliases.
- Use of 5G MBS transmission in MCVideo signalling plane TS 24.281CR0199
- Add the description of 5MBS in MCVideo TS 24.281CR0220
- MCVideo support of multiplexing - SDP offers and answers TS 24.281CR0215
- Support MCVideo over 5G ProSe TS 24.281CR0225
- General adhoc group call procedures in single system - Protoc impl for MCVideo TS 24.281CR0221
- Adhoc group call participants modify procedures in single system - protoc impl MCVideo TS 24.281CR0226
+ 36 more changes
In Release 19, enhancements to the MVEG function introduced more dynamic criteria for determining the list of participants during an ongoing MCVideo ad hoc group emergency alert and ad hoc group call. The release also added authorization for modifications to an ad hoc group call based on local policy and included mechanisms for an authorized user to release such a call. Furthermore, specific corrections and enhancements were made to the handling of participant lists and SIP messaging for these emergency group communications.
- Modify list of participants by changing the criteria during an ongoing MCVideo ad hoc group call TS 24.281CR0278
- Adhoc group emergency alert add criteria to the SIP message containing the participant lists sent to the authorised users TS 24.281CR0279
- MCVideo adhoc group call to migrated user TS 24.281CR0280
- Modifying the criteria for determining the participants during an ongoing ad hoc group emergency alert TS 24.281CR0282
- Ad hoc group call release by an authorized user TS 24.281CR0289
- FRMCS_Ph5 Adding reason to leave a session in MCVideo TS 24.281CR0290
+ 13 more changes
Explore further
Broader topics and technologies where MVEG plays a role.
Defining Specifications
3GPP specifications that define or reference MVEG, with the latest known release. Sourced from the 3GPP document catalog — see methodology.
| Specification | Title | Release |
|---|---|---|
| TS 24.281 vj40 | MCVideo Signalling Control Specification | Rel-19 |
| TS 37.579 vi40 | Mission Critical services conformance testing | Rel-18 |