N. Mohanram, Director General, TSDSI
Telecommunications Standards Development Society, India (TSDSI), was established on January 7, 2014, as a result of the Government of India’s resolve to set up an Indian telecommunication standards development organisation (SDO). This resolution was outlined in the text of the National Telecom Policy, 2012 (NTP 2012).
As India’s telecom SDO, TSDSI has the mandate to develop and promote standards while addressing India-specific requirements, besides actively working with the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and other global institutions in the advancement of telecom technologies.
Making an impact on global 5G standards
Over the past decade, TSDSI elevated India’s position on the global standardisation stage with significant contributions to International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) 2020 technologies, notably by enabling the introduction of the low mobility large cell (LMLC) concept in the ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R). Its technical implementation, using pi/2 BPSK waveforms, was included in global standards. The LMLC requirement resonated with regions worldwide as TSDSI endeavoured to voice user requirements, especially for enhanced coverage.
The acceptance of TSDSI’s 5G candidate radio interface technology standard (5Gi) by ITU-R in 2021 marked a watershed moment in India’s standards development journey, moving us from consumers of technology to the elite group of standards makers. This standard subsequently became a part of the 3GPP 5G standards.
Strategic approach to 6G at the national level
India has been leveraging digital technologies as a means of societal development. The Jan Dhan, Aadhar and Mobile (JAM) trinity is a testament to how technology can be used for social inclusion, leading to economic upliftment. The government adopted a strategic approach to harness 5G and beyond technologies, with the goal of achieving digital inclusion for all.
The high-level 5G India Forum, established by the government in 2017 with participation from three nodal ministries – the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and the Department of Science and Technology – provided a blueprint for the development of 5G technologies and ecosystems within the country. This strategic framework has been seamlessly integrated into India’s 6G journey.
The Bharat 6G Vision, unveiled by the honourable prime minister on March 22, 2023, outlines the mission to “design, develop, and deploy 6G network technologies that provide ubiquitous, intelligent, and secure connectivity for high-quality living experience for the world”. The tenets of affordability, sustainability, and ubiquity form the cornerstone of India’s 6G strategy. The overarching goal is to position India as a leading supplier of advanced telecom technologies and solutions that are not only affordable but also contribute to global well-being.
To achieve this vision, the Bharat 6G Alliance was formed, comprising members from the domestic industry, academia, national research institutions, and standards organisations. This alliance aims to foster the growth of 5G Advanced/6G intellectual properties and essential patents from India, design and build Indian 5G Advanced/6G products and solutions, establish consortia of Indian start-ups and companies in the 6G space, and build coalitions with like-minded 6G global alliances from around the world.
TSDSI intends to closely collaborate with the Bharat 6G Mission and Bharat 6G Alliance, conducting workshops and stakeholder consultations. The organisation will continue its efforts to promote standards-driven research in the industry and academia for 6G-related work, aiming to bring more study and standardisation topics into TSDSI study groups.
Taking the lead in 6G standards
Following the completion of 5G recommendations by the ITU-R, TSDSI swiftly embarked on 6G development, kick-starting the country’s 6G journey through a workshop on “Telecom Technologies for the Next Decade” in January 2020.
A study on 6G use cases and technologies was undertaken in March 2020, with the report released in September 2022. TSDSI submitted contributions to the ITU-R Recommendations on the Framework for IMT-2030 and the report on Future Technology Trends in 2021-22 and 2022-23. These contributions encompassed use cases, performance indicators, future tech trends, and IMT in frequencies surpassing 100 GHz.
TSDSI’s Standardisation Roadmap lists key areas related to beyond 5G and 6G technologies, guiding its technical activities. Notably, it included the 6G Vision, covering use cases, key performance indicators (KPIs), and network architectures; coverage and capacity enhancements; waveforms; visible light communication; artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning; spectrum studies; open systems; cloud; and security aspects, including backhaul.
Currently, TSDSI has several topics of study/standardisation specific to 6G, most of which will mature in the next few years in a phased manner.
These topics include integrated sensing and communication, integrated AI and communication, and ubiquitous connectivity. Other items, such as the study of waveforms, qualitative KPIs, and architecture, will help address overall usage scenario requirements.
TSDSI’s work output will be contributed to the ITU and 3GPP, as applicable, from time to time. 3GPP is expected to take up the work on 6G, starting from Release 20, in 2026.
Global leadership in ICT standards and technological frontiers
As an organisational partner of 3GPP, TSDSI regularly provides globally harmonised releases of 3GPP standards to the Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC) for eventual adoption as a national standard. Likewise, in line with TSDSI’s agreements with global institutions and SDOs such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, and the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), the organisation has recently transposed the ATSC 3.0 standards. These standards have been made available to TEC for adoption as national standards, responding directly to industry needs. This set of standards will enable direct-to-mobile delivery of broadcast video/data, which, in turn, will help address congestion in mobile networks.
TSDSI’s recent publication of the cloud interoperability and portability standards, based on a request from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, stands as a testament to our unwavering dedication towards building the ICT standards ecosystem in the country. TSDSI stands at the forefront of India’s strides in and beyond 5G, 6G (IMT-2030), conve gence, internet of things/machine-to-machine, the metaverse, and numerous other technological frontiers. Employing established frameworks facilitates heightened engagement and contributions from India’s industries, startups, and academic sectors within key global standards bodies such as 3GPP, oneM2M, and the ITU.
Initiatives for standards engagement, economic growth and global collaboration
TSDSI’s initiatives to promote standards engagement among start-ups, small and medium enterprises, research entities, and various industry verticals – such as fintech, healthcare and agriculture – alongside test and certification communities, will strategically facilitate their growth in the standardisation value chain. This growth is a crucial factor for economic advancement in today’s technology-driven world order. To enhance global influence, TSDSI fosters partnerships with peer forums, promoting collaborative activities. Meetings of global standards bodies such as 3GPP and oneM2M are also being brought to India, enabling the domestic community to participate in these deliberations.
A decade of empowering India’s voice in telecom standards evolution
The year 2024 marks TSDSI’s completion of 10 years as India’s telecom SDO, a decade marked by collaboration, innovation, and transformative impact. This milestone is an opportunity to celebrate achievements and embrace the promise of an exciting future. I extend my deepest gratitude to all members, partners and stakeholders whose contributions have shaped TSDSI’s success, with special acknowledgement to DoT for their steadfast support, propelling TSDSI to the forefront of telecom standards evolution. TSDSI is excited to empower India in shaping tomorrow’s global ICT standards.
