3GPP 21.900 v20.0.0 — the document's own text
4.0B Releases
Taught in 3. What a Release is, and what freezing one costs (How standards actually get made, in depth), 7. Reading a 3GPP number — the series, the version, the file name (How standards actually get made, in depth), 4. The change request and the release (How standards actually get made, overview), 3. One idea, from proposal to published text (How standards actually get made, quick start).
Specifications are grouped into "Releases". A mobile system can be constructed based on the set of all specifications which comprise a given Release. A Release differs from the previous Release by having added functionality introduced as a result of ongoing standardization work within the Groups.
Specifications pertaining to a given Release shall be distinguished by the first field of the version number ("x" in x.y.z) according to table 4. Table 4 also shows for comparison the equivalent significance of the GSM Releases.
For further details on Release control, see clause 4.10.
Table 4: Version numbers vs. Releases
| Spec under change control for … | spec number format and version |
|---|---|
| GSM Phase 1 | aa.bb v3.y.z |
| GSM Phase 2 | aa.bb v4.y.z |
| GSM Phase 2+ Release 1996 | aa.bb v5.y.z |
| GSM Phase 2+ Release 1997 | aa.bb v6.y.z |
| GSM Phase 2+ Release 1998 | aa.bb v7.y.z |
| GSM Phase 2+ Release 1999(pure GERAN-based system) | aa.bb v8.y.z |
| pure UTRAN-based system and common UTRAN- & GERAN-based systems Release 1999 | aa.bbb v3.y.z |
| GERAN- & UTRAN-based systems Release 4 | aa.bbb v4.y.z |
| GERAN- & UTRAN-based systems Release 5 | aa.bbb v5.y.z |
| GERAN- & UTRAN-based systems Release 6 | aa.bbb v6.y.z |
| GERAN- & UTRAN-based systems Release 7 | aa.bbb v7.y.z |
| … | … |
| NOTE: From Release 4 onwards the 3GPP format for specification numbers and versions applies to all specifications (including those only relevant for implementation of a stand-alone GSM system). |