2. Standardization and standards

Even though we've reached the fifth generation of cellular networks, the complexity and diversity of the demands and challenges posed to these systems, especially if we compare them with the challenges posed to the previous generation, mean that preparing for this generation remains a lengthy process involving a large number of players in a large number of countries.

When the 3GPP (3 ^rd Generation Partnership Project ) consortium was set up in the 1990s, it was responsible for standardization work on 3G, based on the WCDMA or UMTS variant. Definitions of this system were provided under the name of release. The first commercial release was Release 3, which we used with the first 3G terminals, shortly after the year 2000. Releases are delivered regularly, every year or so, and 3GPP is no longer limited to 3G. 3GPP provides...