k in 3GPP is organized in Technical Specification Groups (TSGs), and then in Working Groups (WGs) within the TSGs. Figure 2.1 shows the 3GPP organizational structure. The Project Coordination Group (PCG) is an administrative group overseeing the 3GPP organization. The TSGs are the groups coordinating the WGs underneath each of the TSGs. The TSGs and their responsibilities are the following: SA is the TSG responsible for services and system aspects. The system requirements, the system architecture, security, and operations and management issues are dealt in this TSG. Basics of the 3GPP Technologies Project Coordination Group (PCG) GERAN Figure 2.1 3GPP organization. GERAN is the TSG responsible for the GSM radio maintenance and evolution. RAN TSG handles 3G radio, and its evolution including the LTE. CT works on stage 3 related to the core network and terminals. The TSG SA is working mostly on the requirement and architecture aspects - hence, stages 1 and 2. The other TSGs are mostly working on stage 3. However, this division not very clear cut. There is radio architecture related work in the Radio Access Network (RAN) and GSM/Edge Radio Access Network (GERAN) TSG as well. In 3GPP, the bulk of the work is done in face-to-face meetings held by the WGs. The interested organizations send their representatives to the meetings to present their contributions, and to react to other organizations' contributions. The decisions on the direction of the technology is based on consensus on the technical merits of the different proposals. In difficult issues where the consensus is not very clear, the 3GPP relies on voting among the members to reach decisions. The 3GPP produces specifications which it publishes in releases. We will the look at the different releases in the next section, followed by a view of how the 3GPP specifications are organized. 3GPP Standards Releases The 3GPP inherited its release process from ETSI. ETSI used to produce yearly releases of the GSM standards named after the year that the release was produce