# Study on Media Aspects for 6G System - Work Plan

## 1. Introduction and Background

This document presents the work plan for the Feasibility Study on "Media Aspects for 6G System" (FS_6G_MED), approved at SA4#134 (S4-252142) and SA plenary #110 (SP-251652).

### Study Objectives

The study aims to:

1. **Document work topics in detail**, covering:
   - WT#1: Media Delivery Architecture
   - WT#2: 6G Media
   - WT#3: Media Aspects related to SA2 topics
   - WT#4: Media for ubiquitous access
   - WT#5: Trusted and private media communication

2. **Identify dependencies** with other WGs and collect information on relevant developments within 3GPP and externally

3. **Map work topics to basic functions** and develop high-level call flows based on existing media delivery architectures and 6G design concepts

4. **Identify gaps and opportunities**, recommending either:
   - Further study or normative work (stage-2/stage-3)
   - Candidate solutions to address issues

5. **Coordinate** with SA1, SA2, SA3, SA5, SA6 and external organizations (SVTA, CTA WAVE, ISO/IEC JTC1 SC 29, 5G-MAG, MSF, Khronos, IETF)

### Timeline

- **For information**: TSG SA#114 (Dec-26)
- **For approval**: TSG SA#115 (Mar-27)
- **Rapporteur**: Elmira Ramazanirend, Vodafone

## 2. Context and Justification

### 2.1 Motivation

The study addresses the need for:
- CAPEX/OPEX reduction and monetization opportunities
- New services and experiences in the 6G era
- System simplification and integration of new technologies
- Support for new use cases: ISAC, XR/immersive communication, AI-based services
- Improved end-user QoE across diverse devices and network conditions

### 2.2 Work Topics Details

#### WT#1: Media Delivery Architecture

Study media delivery architecture aspects for 6G based on TS 26.501, TS 26.506 and new 6G architecture developments. Key aspects:
- Accommodation of new 6G use cases by current 5G media delivery architecture
- Identification of reusable components from 5G and earlier generations
- Architecture simplification for improved deployability/implementability
- Further harmonization between streaming and conversational services
- Collection of existing/emerging content delivery protocols
- Alignment with SA2 6G design concepts
- Accommodation of commercially relevant media services

#### WT#2: 6G Media

Identify trends and expected services related to media, including immersive and AI-related media. Sub-topics:

**a) End-to-end service quality**: Study aspects for defining end-to-end service quality for media services, including capturing, rendering, and QoE metrics definition

**b) Traffic characteristics**: Study and identify traffic characteristics of media services and use cases from TR 22.870 to support 6G radio and service architecture design

**c) Immersive media formats**: Collect, categorize and characterize (3C) emerging media formats (including different media types) for 6G XR/immersive media services, building on TR 26.956

**d) Media communication for emerging AI services**: Study AI representation formats and traffic characteristics for AI-related media services (agents, multi-modal LLMs, diffusion models), identifying gaps in QoS requirements, dynamic traffic characteristics, or AI-representation format definitions

#### WT#3: Media Aspects related to SA2 topics

Study media-related impacts from SA2 study topics:

**a) AI for 6G**: Media-related impacts from "AI for 6G (e.g. AI agent, framework)" aligned with SA2 WT#3

**b) Integration of Sensing and Communication**: Media-related impacts aligned with SA2 WT#4

**c) Data handling**: Media-related impacts on data collection, distribution, processing, storage, access and exposure, considering access control/user consent and privacy, aligned with SA2 WT#5

**d) Computing**: Media-related impacts on computing support for UE and application servers, aligned with SA2 WT#6

**Note**: Analysis may confirm no impact on SA4 specifications. Topics may be updated based on SA2 decisions.

#### WT#4: Media for ubiquitous access

Study aspects and opportunities for media services on ubiquitous networks including NTN and other low bit-rate/low power scenarios beyond speech. Focus on supported bitrates, functionalities, delays, power consumption and other design vectors, considering FS_ULBC study information.

#### WT#5: Trusted and private communication for media

Study aspects and opportunities for trusted and private media communication in applications including generative AI or agent-to-agent communication, covering end-to-end workflows, authentication, trust and exploring 6G's role.

**Note**: Coordination with SA3 expected on authentication and trust-related topics.

### 2.3 Supporting Companies

The study has broad industry support from 50+ companies including operators (Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, AT&T, Orange, China Mobile, NTT), vendors (Ericsson, Nokia, Huawei, Samsung, Qualcomm, MediaTek, Apple), content providers (Dolby, Sony, Tencent, Bytedance), and research organizations.

### 2.4 Dependencies on Other WGs

#### SA1
- SP-241152: New SID on 6G Use Cases and Service Requirements
- TR 22.870 v1.0.1: Study on 6G Use Cases and Service Requirements

#### SA2
- TR 23.801-01 v0.3.0: Study on Architecture for 6G System; Stage 2
- SP-251633: Revised SID for FS_6G_ARC
- S2-2511308: Detailed FS_6G_ARC Work Task scopes
- **Note**: SA2 6G study completion planned for March 2027 (same as this study); may need postponement to SA#116 to address dependencies

## 3. Work Organization

### 3.1 Work Topic Leads and Contributors

A work plan tracking sheet is maintained online at:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1AHXc41lTVAJ84ENKfi2GgmpGx26hqHSoNQ7JKxnBNBo/edit?usp=sharing

Snapshot to be provided in published document showing:
- Topic title
- Lead
- TR 26.870 clause
- Completion percentage
- Rel-21 normative work decisions
- Stage-2 impact
- Contributors

**Current overall progress**: 0%

### 3.2 Working Methods

To be determined.

## 4. Detailed Work and Time Plan

### SA4#134 (Nov 2025, Dallas) - **Target: 0%**
- Agree Study Item
- Initial discussion of time plan
- Initial discussion of draft TR

### SA#110 (Dec 2025, Baltimore)
- Approve Study Item
- Assign rapporteurs

### 3GPP SA4 AHG Telco (Jan 15, 2026) - **Target: 3%**
**Host**: Qualcomm, 16:00-17:30 CET
- Agree initial work and time plan
- Agree skeleton TR 26.870 for SA4#135 submissions
- Agree initial working procedures
- Prepare initial thoughts for work topics
- Identify initial contributors
- **Submission deadline**: Jan 13, 16:00 CET

### SA4#135 (Feb 9-13, 2026, Goa) - **Target: 10%**
- Agree work and time plan
- Agree skeleton TR 26.870
- Agree initial working procedures
- Identify leads and contributors for work topics
- Address baseline assumptions (SA1 use cases/requirements, new media trends, principal ideas)
- Document scope and objectives of work topics in detail
- Progress TR 26.870
- Communicate with other 3GPP WGs and external organizations

### 3GPP SA4 AHG Telco (Feb 25, 2026)
**Host**: Qualcomm, 16:00-17:30 CET
- Preparation for extended AHG meeting on FS_6G_MED
- Identify common themes for workshop inputs
- **Submission deadline**: Feb 23, 16:00 CET

### SA#111 (Mar 10-13, 2026, Fukuoka)
- No actions

### 3GPP SA4 AHG Telco (March 16 & 23, 2026) - Extended AHG Meeting
**Host**: Qualcomm, 15:00-17:00 CET
- Address baseline assumptions clustered in common themes
- Identify moderators/leads to summarize common topics
- **Submission deadline**: March 19, 15:00 CET
- **Note**: 5G-MAG workshop on media energy consumption scheduled March 19

### SA4#135e-bis (Apr 13-17, 2026, online) - **Target: 20%**
- Summary of workshop on 6G Media Topics
- Progress work topics in detail
- Start identifying dependencies with other WGs
- Collect information on developments within 3GPP and externally
- Progress TR 26.870
- Communicate with other WGs and external organizations

### SA4#136 (May 11-15, 2026, Montreal) - **Target: 35%**
- Progress work topics in detail
- Progress identifying dependencies and collecting information
- Progress TR 26.870
- Communicate with other WGs and external organizations

### SA#112 (Jun 9-12, 2026, Singapore)
- No actions

### SA4#137-e (Aug 24-28, 2026, online) - **Target: 50%**
- Progress work topics in detail
- Progress identifying dependencies
- Start mapping work topics to basic functions and develop high-level call flows
- Start identifying potential gaps and opportunities
- Progress TR 26.870
- Communicate with other WGs and external organizations

### SA#113 (Sep 15-18, 2026, Madrid)
- No actions

### SA4#138 (Nov 16-20, 2026, Calgary) - **Target: 65%**
- Complete work topics documentation
- Progress identifying dependencies
- Progress mapping to basic functions and call flows
- Start identifying gaps and opportunities
- Start drafting Conclusions
- **Agree TR 26.870 v1.0.0**
- Communicate with other WGs and external organizations

### SA#114 (Dec 8-11, 2026, Boston)
- **Present TR 26.870 v1.0.0 for information**

### SA4#139 (Feb 22-26, 2027, Korea) - **Target: 90%**
- Complete work topics documentation
- Complete identifying dependencies
- Complete mapping to basic functions and call flows
- Complete identifying gaps and opportunities
- Agree on Conclusions
- **Agree TR 26.870 v2.0.0**
- Communicate with other WGs and external organizations

### SA#115 (Mar 16-19, 2027, Europe)
- **Present TR 26.870 v2.0.0 for approval**
- **Note**: As SA2 FS_6G_ARC completes at this time, may require extension until SA#116