Draft Work Plan for FS_Q4RTC_MED

Introduction

This document presents a draft work plan for the Rel-20 Study on QUIC-based media delivery for real-time communication (FS_Q4RTC_MED), which was agreed at SA4#134 and approved at SA#110 [SP-251661].

Study Objectives

The study encompasses the following key objectives:

Objective 1: Protocol Identification and Documentation

Identify existing and emerging QUIC-based media delivery protocols suitable for real-time communication and document their features, benefits, limitations and current applications.

Objective 2: Evaluation Framework Definition

Define an evaluation framework for QUIC-based media delivery protocols in the context of the RTC System as defined in TS 26.506 and TS 26.113, including:

• Application scenarios: Define scenarios for evaluation, particularly including existing 3GPP services or service enablers such as split rendering
• Performance evaluation: Define appropriate performance metrics and requirements, and evaluate the performance of QUIC-based media delivery protocols against existing architectures and protocols (WebRTC and (S)RTP-based frameworks) under realistic 3GPP network conditions
• Existing evaluation consideration: Consider existing performance evaluation from academia and other SDOs, which SA4 may verify analytically without conducting new simulations

NOTE 1: The evaluation framework may be based on an open-source network simulator such as ns3.

NOTE 2: Evaluation scenarios may involve real-time communication of audio (EVS and IVAS) and video (H.264/AVC and H.265/HEVC) as specified in TS 26.114.

Objective 3: Deployment Impact Assessment

Document potential impact of deploying QUIC-based technologies on the delivery architecture defined in TS 26.506, considering:
- Current architectures
- 3GPP core network architecture (TS 23.501)
- UE implementations
- Advantages and disadvantages including efficiency, scalability, distributed deployment capability, impact on radio optimizations, flow control and management, security/privacy versus traffic management, and readiness of general-purpose implementations

Objective 4: Integration Study (Conditional)

If sufficient evidence of benefits for selected QUIC-based media delivery protocols in the RTC context are identified:

• Integration with MRI solutions: Study integration of beneficial QUIC-based media delivery protocols with SA2 MRI solutions (TS 23.501, clause 5.37.9) into the RTC System, including consideration of potential architectural enhancements, signaling and collaboration scenarios
• Gap identification: Identify gaps and potential normative work on architecture and procedures (TS 26.506) as well as protocols and APIs (TS 26.113 and TS 26.510)

NOTE 4: The study will take into account potential changes in the media delivery architecture as identified in other ongoing 3GPP studies.

Objective 5: Coordination

Coordinate work with other 3GPP groups and the IETF as needed.

Proposed Work Plan Timeline

SA4#134 (17–21 November 2025, Dallas, US)

• Agree study item description
• Discuss potential work plan

SA#110 (9–12 December 2025, Baltimore, US)

• Approve new study item

SA4#134 RTC SWG call (Dec 17, 2025, 14:00-16:00 CET, Host Nokia)

• Discuss work plan

SA4#134 RTC SWG call (Jan 28, 2026, 15:00-17:00 CET, Host Nokia)

• Discuss specification skeleton for TR 26.8xx
• Initiate work on: Identification of QUIC-based media delivery protocols suitable for RTC and documentation of their features, benefits, limitations and current applications

SA4#135 (9–13 February 2026, Goa, India)

• Agree work plan
• Agree specification skeleton for TR 26.836
• Progress work on: Identification of QUIC-based media delivery protocols
• Initiate work on:
• Definition of application scenarios for evaluation
• Definition of performance metrics and requirements
• Performance evaluation of QUIC-based media delivery protocols
• Documentation of existing evaluation from academia and other SDOs
• Document potential impact of deploying QUIC-based technologies
• Communicate with other 3GPP WG and external organizations if necessary

NOTE: Coordinate with FS_QStream_MED on the evaluation framework.

Post SA4#135 RTC SWG calls (date/time TBD, Host Nokia)

• TBD

SA4#135-bis-e (13–17 April 2026, online)

• Complete work on: Identification of QUIC-based media delivery protocols
• Progress work on:
• Definition of application scenarios
• Definition of performance metrics and requirements
• Performance evaluation
• Documentation of existing evaluation
• Document potential impact of deploying QUIC-based technologies
• Initiate identification of potential stage-2 normative work for 5GA
• Communicate with other 3GPP WG and external organizations if necessary

Post SA4#135-bis-e AHG calls (date/time TBD, Host Nokia)

• TBD

SA4#136 (11–15 May 2026, Montreal, Canada)

• Progress work on:
• Definition of application scenarios
• Definition of performance metrics and requirements
• Documentation of existing evaluation
• Performance evaluation
• Document potential impact of deploying QUIC-based technologies
• Complete identification of potential stage-2 normative work for 5GA
• Communicate with other 3GPP WG and external organizations if necessary

NOTE: Stage-2 normative work item for 5GA may be proposed here.

Post SA4#136 AHG calls (date/time TBD, Host Nokia)

• TBD

SA4#137-e (24–28 August 2026, online)

• Complete work on:
• Definition of application scenarios
• Definition of performance metrics and requirements
• Documentation of existing evaluation
• Progress work on:
• Performance evaluation
• Document potential impact of deploying QUIC-based technologies
• Initiate identification of potential stage-3 normative work for 5GA
• Communicate with other 3GPP WG and external organizations if necessary

Post SA4#137-e AHG calls (date/time TBD, Host Nokia)

• TBD

SA4#138 (16–20 November 2026, Calgary, Canada)

• Progress work on:
• Performance evaluation
• Document potential impact of deploying QUIC-based technologies
• Complete identification of potential stage-3 normative work for 5GA
• Communicate with other 3GPP WG and external organizations if necessary
• Send TR 26.836 v1.0.0 for information to SA

NOTE: Stage-3 normative work item for 5GA may be proposed here.

SA#114 (8–11 December 2026, US)

• Presentation of TR 26.836 v1.0.0 to SA for information

SA4#139 (22–26 February 2027, South Korea)

• Complete work on:
• Performance evaluation
• Document potential impact of deploying QUIC-based technologies
• Finalize TR conclusions and recommendations for future work
• Send TR 26.836 v2.0.0 for approval to SA

SA#115 (16–19 March 2027, Europe)

• Approval of TR 26.836 v2.0.0 in SA