Rel-13 MCPTT (completed 2016)
- User authentication and service authorization
- Configuration
- Affiliation and de-affiliation
- Group calls on-network and off-network (within one system or multiple systems, pre-arranged or chat model, late entry, broadcast group calls, emergency group calls, imminent peril group calls, emergency alerts)
- Private calls on-network and off-network (automatic or manual commencement modes, emergency private calls)
- MCPTT security
- Encryption (media and control signalling)
- Simultaneous sessions for call
- Dynamic group management (group regrouping)
- Floor control in on-network (within one system or across systems) and in off-network
- Pre-established sessions
- Resource management (unicast, multicast, modification, shared priority)
- Multicast/Unicast bearer control, MBMS (Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service) bearers
- Location configuration, reporting and triggering
- Use of UE-to-network relays
Rel-14 MC Services (completed 2017)
MC Services Common Functionalities:
- User authentication and service authorization
- Service configuration
- Affiliation and de-affiliation
- Extended Location Features
- (Dynamic) Group Management
- Identity management
- MC Security framework
- Encryption (media and control signalling)
MCPTT Enhancements:
- First-to-answer call setup (with and without floor control)
- Floor control for audio cut-in enabled group
- Updating the selected MC Service user profile for an MC Service
- Ambient listening call
- MCPTT private call-back request
- Remote change of selected group
MCVideo, Common Functions plus:
- Group Call (including emergency group calls, imminent peril group calls, emergency alerts)
- Private Call (off-network)
- Transmission Control
MCData, Common Functions plus:
- Short Data Service (SDS)
- File Distribution (FD) (on-network)
- Transmission and Reception Control
- Handling of Disposition Notifications
- Communication Release
Rel-15 MC Services (in progress)
MC Services Common Functionalities Enhancements:
MC Services Common Functionalities Enhancements:
- Enhanced MCPTT group call setup procedure with MBMS bearer
- Enhanced Location management, information and triggers
- Interconnection between 3GPP defined MC systems
- Interworking with legacy systems
MCPTT Enhancements:
- Remotely initiated MCPTT call
- Enhanced handling of MCPTT Emergency Alerts
- Enhanced Broadcast group call
- Updating pre-selected MC Service user profile
- Temporary group call - user regroup
- Functional alias identity for user and equipment
- Multiple simultaneous users
MCVideo Additions:
- Video push
- Video pull
- Private call (on-network)
- Broadcast Group Call
- Ambient Viewing Call
- Capability information sharing
- Simultaneous Sessions
- Use of MBMS transmission
- Emergency and imminent peril private communications
- Primary and Partner MC system interactions for MCVideo communications
- Remote video parameters control capabilities
MCData Additions:
- MCData specific Location
- Enhanced Status
- Accessing list of deferred communications
- Usage of MBMS
- Emergency Alert
- Data streaming
- File Distribution (FD) (off-network)
- IP connectivity
MCPTT Conformance Tests (so far only for Rel-13 MCPTT)
Timeline for MC Services and 3GPP Releases
Release 13
- Mission Critical Push to Talk (MCPTT) completed in March 2016
Release 14
- MCPTT Improvements completion 09/2017
- MCData completion 09/2017
- MCVideo completion 09/2017
Release 15 and beyond
- MCPTT Improvements completion 06/2018
- MCData completion 06/2018
- MCVideo completion 06/2018
- Railways (FRMCS) study ongoing in SA6,normative work completion ~06/2018
- Interconnection between systems study completed,normative work completion ~06/2018
- Interworking with legacy systems study completed,normative work completion ~06/2018
- Maritime communications study ongoing in SA1
- Railways (FRMCS2) study and normative work ongoing in SA1
- MBMS APIs for MC Services study ongoing in SA6
Further Reading:
3GPP Mission Critical Specifications (selected):
Stage 1 – Requirements
- TS 22.280 - MCS Common Requirements
- TS 22.179 - MCPTT over LTE requirements
- TS 22.281 - MCVideo over LTE requirements
- TS 22.282 - MCData over LTE requirements
- TS 22.289 – Mobile Communication Systems for Railways
- TR 22.819 - Study on Maritime Communication Services over 3GPP system
Stage 2 – Functional Architecture and Procedures
- TS 23.280 – MC Common Architecture
- TS 23.379 – MCPTT Architecture and Flows
- TS 23.281 – MCVideo Architecture and Flows
- TS 23.282 – MCData Architecture and Flows
- TS 33.180 – MC Services Security aspects
- TS 23.283 – MC Interworking between LTE-based systems and non-LTE-based systems
- TR 23.790 - Study on application architecture for the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS)
Stage 3 – Protocols
- TS 24.379 – MCPTT Call Control
- TS 24.380 – MCPTT Media Plane
- TS 24.481 – MCS Group Management
- TS 24.482 – MCS Identity Management
- TS 24.483 – MCS Management Object (MO)
- TS 24.484 – MCS Configuration Management
- TS 24.281 – MCVideo signalling protocol
- TS 24.581 – MCVideo media plane control
- TS 24.282 – MCData signalling protocol
- TS 24.582 – MCData media plane control
- TR 24.980 - Minimum requirements for support of MCPTT over the Gm
Conformance Testing (so far only for Rel-13 MCPTT)
- TS 36.579-1 Mission Critical Push To Talk (MCPTT) over LTE; Part 1: Common test environment
- TS 36.579-2 Mission Critical Push To Talk (MCPTT) over LTE; Part 2: User Equipment (UE) Protocol conformance specification
- TS 36.579-3 Mission Critical Push To Talk (MCPTT) over LTE; Part 3: MCPTT Server Application conformance specification
- TS 36.579-4 Mission Critical Push To Talk (MCPTT) over LTE; Part 4: Test Applicability and Implementation Conformance Statement (ICS) proforma specification
- TS 36.579-5 Mission Critical Push To Talk (MCPTT) over LTE; Part 5: Abstract test suite (ATS)