Samsung grabs more 3GPP seats to shape future mobile standards

Samsung has just strengthened its presence within the 3GPP, where all the big decisions about global mobile standards get made.

Set up in 1998, the 3GPP is where industry heavyweights like Samsung, Apple, Qualcomm, Ericsson, Nokia, and Huawei, all come together to thrash out the technical rulebook for everything from 3G, 4G, 5G, and, you guessed it, what will eventually become 6G.

The whole setup is quite methodical, with three main Technical Specification Groups (TSGs) looking after different bits: Service and System Aspects (SA), Radio Access Network (RAN), and Core Network and Terminals (CT). Each of these then has a cluster of Working Groups (WGs) – 15 in total – beavering away on the nitty-gritty.

So, what’s the latest news? Well, Samsung has managed to get some of its key people into rather influential chairs.

Rajavelsamy Rajadurai, a principal architect at Samsung’s R&D hub in Bangalore, India, has just been elected as the new chair of 3GPP’s Service and System Aspects Working Group 3 (SA WG3). This isn’t just a fancy title; SA WG3 is where the critical rules for keeping an eye on network security and protecting our privacy get hammered out.

Lixiang Xu, a principal engineer from Samsung’s R&D Institute in Beijing, China, has bagged the vice chair spot for 3GPP’s Radio Access Network Working Group 3 (RAN WG3). This group is all about the tech that makes sure your phone actually connects smoothly to the mast – things like base station interface protocols. Again, fundamental stuff.

Back in March, Dr Younsun Kim, a Master at Samsung Research, took the chair for the entire 3GPP Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network (TSG RAN). That’s a major role, overseeing all the standardisation work for wireless tech, from the very basic physical layer right up to how radio resources are managed.

If you’re keeping score, with these new appointments, Samsung now holds three very important chair positions (SA WG2, SA WG3, and the big one, TSG RAN) and can also count five vice-chair roles (SA WG4, SA WG6, RAN WG2, RAN WG3, and CT WG3) within this global standards powerhouse. That’s quite a collection of influential voices.

Now, why all this jostling for position? Well, the future, of course. 3GPP is getting ready to officially kick off its research into what 6G will look like from the second half of 2025 and the groups where Samsung now has extra clout are going to be right at the heart of that discussion.

For instance, SA WG3, under Rajadurai, will be digging into how to beef up security to fend off ever-smarter cyberattacks – including those coming from the mind-bending world of quantum computers. They’ll also be looking at new ways to keep our private information private on mobile networks.

Meanwhile, RAN WG3, with Xu as vice chair, is expected to explore how AI can be roped in to help. Think AI-driven solutions to make base stations less power-hungry (good for the planet, and potentially our bills) and to generally make our mobile service slicker and more reliable. These areas – smart AI, super-strong security, and making things greener – are all tipped to be massive themes for 6G.

By getting more of its people into these key 3GPP spots, Samsung isn’t just sitting at the table; it’s helping to set the menu for the entire mobile industry. It gives them a stronger platform to guide how standards develop and to team up with other companies to shape what our next-generation communications will deliver.

See also: SK Telecom server breach raises security concerns over leaked USIM data

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Tags: 3gpp, 6g, connectivity, mobile, Networks, samsung, standards, telecoms