Mission critical certification expected to start by end of 2022
- 13 Jun 2022
- Lars Nielsen
Critical Communications World (www.critical-communications-world.com) is taking place in Vienna, Austria, from 21-23 June 2022 and GCF will be represented there by CEO and General Manager, Lars Nielsen. Here Lars looks at the work taking place within GCF relating to the mission critical communications sector and what the future holds.
Ensuring mission critical devices and networks are interoperable is a key part of GCF’s vision to enable the high quality, reliable and secure wireless communications demanded by users and industries across the globe. It is equally key to TCCA’s vision to promote standardized critical communications solutions and the benefits of open and competitive markets in efficiently developing and delivering these solutions. GCF’s certification process, developed in close cooperation with TCCA, is the way to ensure that broadband LTE devices and mission critical applications (Mission Critical Push-to-Talk – MCPTT, Mission Critical Video – MCVideo and Mission Critical Data – MCData, collectively known as MCX) are interoperable with mission critical networks and services.
The next generation of mission critical services, delivered over 3GPP based networks and devices, will be revolutionary and their shape and scope are being defined now. GCF and TCCA are keen to ensure that all parties interested in ensuring the seamless interoperability of devices and networks in this new Mission Critical Service (MCS) world have the opportunity to contribute to the discussion and, in doing so, help to fashion a certification programme that benefits all stakeholders
So where are we on the path to start MCS over LTE certification?
GCF and TCCA are on track to launch a certification programme for mission critical devices based on 3GPP wireless protocols by the end of 2022.
A number of mission critical field trial test cases have been developed and submitted to GSMA’s Field Trial Devices Group. The first mission critical field test cases are already incorporated into a new Annex N in the TS.11 Device Field and Lab Test-Guidelines.
Development of conformance test solutions for the 3GPP MCS test specifications are well underway.
What are the final challenges GCF and TCCA are working on?
The joint work stream of GCF and TCCA on MCS is currently working on completion of the documentation of the MCX device certification process.
This involves defining the certification process for downloadable MCS clients as well as devices with an embedded MCX client in line with the needs of the mission critical industry.
With the current state of the roll out of MCS over live LTE networks, GCF and TCCA are investigating how to start the field trials part of the certification in a sandbox environment mimicking the configuration and setup of the live networks.
When will MCS over 5G start?
The current focus is to complete the implementation of all MCX LTE based work items prior to starting with 5G, reflecting the migration of mission critical networks from LMR to LTE and subsequently to 5G. It is expected that 5G work items may be adopted towards the end of 2022 and implemented in the scheme in 2023.
To learn more or participate in the GCF Mission Critical Communications certification programme, contact [email protected]