iption / requirements Stage 2 Technical realization / architecture Stage 3 Detailed protocol specifications the 3GPP systems. In this section, we will first look at the 3GPP standards and the standardization process, after which we will briefly look at the IETF. 2.1.1 3GPP Standardization Process 3GPP was organized in 1998 to create a global 3rd Generation (3G) technology from the legacy of the successful Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) 2nd Genera- tion (2G) technology previously created by ETSI. Later 3GPP also got the responsibility to maintain and further develop the 2G technology from ETSI. As the 3G technology was a direct descendent from the 2G technology, it was only natural that the same process, and working procedures were kept. Hence, the 3GPP working procedures are more or less directly adopted from ETSI's processes. As 3GPP is a partnership of many SDOs, the organizations participating in the 3GPP process are members of their respective SDOs, and participate through that membership the 3GPP. The members are organizations such as network operators, network equipment vendors, handset Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), and wireless chipset man- ufacturers. The process itself is contribution driven. Practically this means that the 3GPP organization drives the standards process, but the 3GPP members are responsible for the direction of the technology, and pushing the work forward by inputting, contributing to the process. The 3GPP process has three stages - stages 1, 2, and 3. The three stages are described in Table 2.1. In layman's terms, the 3GPP first specifies the requirements for a feature or a complete new system, and then describes the system architecture. When there is reasonable consensus on the architecture, the detailed protocol specifications are written. In addition to requirements, architecture, and detailed protocol specifications, the 3GPP also performs feasibility studies, and also writes test specifications for its systems. 3GPP Organization and Work Procedures The wor