ETSI Next Generation Protocols group releases first specification

Today, the ETSI Industry Specification Group on Next Generation Protocols (NGP ISG) announced the release of its first specifications, GS NGP 001: Next Generation Protocols; Scenarios Definitions.

This document defines key scenarios to evolve the current Internet Protocol (IP) suite architecture and addresses the future technologies that will be embedded in next generation networks. The aim is to provide all stakeholders with harmonized requirements that will be suitable for multi-access communication including wireless, wired and cellular communications.

IP protocols have been defined in the 1970's but a ubiquitous internet requires a different approach today, with new security, addressing and mobility issues to take care of.

"Current and future use cases include 4K videos on various devices, massive IoT, drone control or virtual reality to name but a few: use cases that have nothing to do with those of the 70's. A modernized network protocols architecture had to be triggered and this is why NGP ISG was created in January this year", says Andy Sutton, Chairman of NGP ISG.

GS NGP 001 scenarios comprise addressing, security, mobility, context-awareness, performance improvement and content enablement as well as multi-access, Internet of Things (IoT), virtualization, mobile edge computing and energy saving.

With this document, ETSI NGP hopes to influence the key communications standards bodies (e.g. 3GPP, ETSI, IEEE, IETF, ITU-T) to shape their protocol evolution for 5G systems and 21st century networking technology so as to address the issues identified and meet the recommendations provided. The document also compares and contrasts existing IP suite protocols with next generation networking and internetworking protocol architecture proposals.

ETSI Next Generation Protocol vision