{"id":2014,"date":"2015-01-13T13:36:45","date_gmt":"2015-01-13T13:36:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gsma.com\/get-involved\/working-groups\/?page_id=2014"},"modified":"2026-07-23T11:04:46","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T10:04:46","slug":"networks-group","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/get-involved\/working-groups\/networks-group\/","title":{"rendered":"Networks Group"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Networks Group Overview<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

The Networks Group (NG) specifies technical, operational and performance requirements to support international roaming and interworking, taking into account technology evolutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NG focuses on compatibility and interoperability aspects of the signalling and inter-working of roaming between Public Land Mobile Networks and public switched networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The group defines profiles, guidelines, and test procedures for voice and data services to provide a better experience to users for mobile services. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to that, the group specifies a common infrastructure abstraction and exposure of a set of capabilities, resources, and interfaces offered by an operator\u2019s virtualisation\/cloud infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The group encompasses a number of sub-working groups working on the various topics in their remit and complies with the specification policy and procedures related to Industry Specifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The group is made up of mobile operators and vendors (equipment and terminal manufacturers) from all various regions of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"SIP\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"IP\"<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Key Topics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Networks Group is currently working on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • LTE and 5G voice, video and messaging services<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • LTE and 5G roaming<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Network Slicing (Generic network Slice Template \u2013 GST)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Analysis and solution providing of real issues faced by Operators related to VoIMS (e.g. VoLTE, Vo5GS, VoWiFi using mobile core) and other IMS services interoperability<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Management of technical document exchange tool, Roaming Agreement Exchange<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Revision and simplification of Roaming test Documents.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Identification of needs and requirements for NNI selection and ENUM<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Needs and requirements on Diameter \u2013 Radius interworking and Service Based Architecture<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Definition of KPIs for Data roaming and VoIMS.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • QoS and Global Roaming Quality<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Steering of Roaming network aspects<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Security aspects related to inter-PMN network architecture<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 2G\/3G networks aspects including closure considerations<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Mobile IoT roaming and testing<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Wi-Fi profiles (WLAN access connected to mobile core) and Roaming<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • VoIMS debugging and evolution<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • LTE based Aerial profile support (e.g. for drones)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 5G non-public networks for verticals\/industry support<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Cloud Infrastructure Reference Model to support 5G services (e.g. edge cloud)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
    <\/div>\n\n\n\n

    What the Networks Group Does:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    • Profiles (based on IMS) and guidelines for the above key topics<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Call\/session handling scenarios including for interworking between mobile systems from different generations<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Testing end-to-end functional testing of services (including, supplementary services).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Maintenance of existing test suites Interworking.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Signalling (circuit\/packet) issues related to inter-working with or without roaming, to ensure appropriate level of end service.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • User plane (circuit\/packet) issues related to inter-working with or without roaming to ensure appropriate level of end service.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Definition of QoS requirements between networks for seamless roaming.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Signalling and inter-working requirements between PLMNs and PSTN.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Compatibility and interoperability of PLMNs with different protocol versions and service facilities Addressing & Numbering.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Circuit switched and packet switched addressing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Creating and maintaining operator\u2019s numbering\/addressing databases (i.e.: IR.21).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Defining migration scenarios when new addressing schemes are introduced<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Ensure the appropriate end-to-end network features for the support of services.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Definition, development and maintenance of Rich Communication Suite\u2019s Services<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Documents approval according to recent Industry Specification process for selected documents<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
      <\/div>\n\n\n\n

      Meetings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      The GSMA Networks Group and its subgroups have face to face meetings which are held four times per year with additional meetings scheduled via conference call as needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      <\/div>\n \n