5G-MAG monitors standardisation of Time Sensitive Communication (TSC) and its application to media production workflows, such as SMPTE ST 2110 essence transport. For how TSC works, see the Technology page.
TSC in a media context usually runs over a private 5G deployment. For the network foundations it depends on, see Non-Public Networks: Specifications first.
5G-MAG tracks how these deterministic-delivery and time-synchronisation capabilities apply to professional media, in particular the transport of SMPTE ST 2110 essence over private 5G, the alignment of the 5G and PTP time domains, and the combination with Non-Public Networks.
- Layers: the 3GPP service requirements and system architecture, the IEEE 802.1 Time-Sensitive Networking standards that 5G TSC interworks with, and the SMPTE standards for IP media production.
- By release: Release 16 makes the 5G system a TSN bridge; Release 17 adds generalised time synchronisation and the TSCTSF; Release 18 adds timing resiliency, TSN charging and DetNet extensions; Release 19 adds QoS monitoring enhancement; Release 20 has change requests to TS 29.565 only.
- Media focus: the transport of SMPTE ST 2110 essence over private 5G, the alignment of the 5G and PTP time domains, and the combination with Non-Public Networks.
Specifications
The specifications in scope of Time-Sensitive Communications (TSC), grouped by the layer they define: the 3GPP service requirements and system architecture, the IEEE 802.1 Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) standards 5G TSC is designed to interwork with, and the SMPTE standards for IP media production it carries.
16 of 16 specifications
| Specification | Title | Layer |
|---|---|---|
| TS 22.104 | Service requirements for cyber-physical control applications in vertical domainsincludes TSC | Service requirements |
| TR 22.804 | Study on Communication for Automation in Vertical Domains | Service requirements |
| TS 23.501 | System architecture for the 5G System (5GS); Stage 2TSN integration aspects | System architecture |
| TS 23.502 | Procedures for the 5G SystemTSC bridge procedures | System architecture |
| TS 29.565 | 5G System; Time Sensitive Communication and Time Synchronization Function Services; Stage 3Ntsctsf services; CT3 stage 3 for the TSCTSF | Network exposure (stage 3) |
| TS 29.522 | 5G System; Network Exposure Function Northbound APIs; Stage 3stage-3 NEF API family carrying the TSC/time-sync exposure the page describes | Network exposure (stage 3) |
| TR 23.700-25 | Study on timing resiliency and TSC and URLLC enhancementsSA2 study (FS_5TRS_URLLC) on timing resiliency and TSC and URLLC enhancements; related work item TRS_URLLC in TS 23.501, TS 23.502 and TS 23.503, with CT aspects including TS 29.565 | System architecture |
| IEEE 802.1AS-2025 | Timing and Synchronisation (gPTP)supersedes IEEE 802.1AS-2020 | IEEE TSN |
| IEEE 802.1Q-2022 | Bridges and Bridged Networksconsolidated base standard; folds in the former standalone amendments 802.1Qbv (Scheduled Traffic) and 802.1Qcc (SRP Enhancements) | IEEE TSN |
| IEEE 802.1BA-2021 | Audio Video Bridging (AVB) Systemsprofile combining 802.1AS timing and 802.1Q traffic shaping/SRP for interoperable AV bridging | IEEE TSN |
| IEEE 802.1CB-2017 | Frame Replication and Elimination for Reliabilityseamless redundancy, the TSN analogue to SMPTE 2022-7 hitless switching | IEEE TSN |
| SMPTE ST 2110-10 | System Timing and Definitionspart of the ST 2110 suite | SMPTE |
| SMPTE ST 2110-20 | Uncompressed Active Video | SMPTE |
| SMPTE ST 2110-21 | Traffic Shaping and Delivery Timing for Video | SMPTE |
| SMPTE ST 2110-30 | PCM Digital Audio | SMPTE |
| SMPTE ST 2110-40 | Ancillary Data (SMPTE ST 291-1) | SMPTE |
Release by release
- Release 16: 5G system as a TSN bridge, transparent forwarding of gPTP, DS-TT and NW-TT, TSN QoS to 5G QoS mapping. Architecture in TS 23.501, procedures in TS 23.502.
- Release 17: Generalised time synchronisation (multiple IEEE 802.1AS/1588 clock roles), the TSCTSF, exposure of deterministic QoS and time-sync control to Application Functions via NEF, and support for TSC independent of a full TSN bridge (deterministic QoS without requiring the wired TSN control plane).
- Release 18: Timing resiliency and URLLC enhancements (5TRS, TRS_URLLC): reporting of the network timing synchronisation status, interworking with a TSN network in the transport network, and scheduling adaptation from RAN feedback; charging for TSN (TSN_CH, TS 32.282); extensions of the TSC framework for DetNet (DetNet).
- Release 19: QoS monitoring enhancement (TEI19_QME) in the 5GC, with changes to TS 29.565; time synchronisation mechanisms in the MBS User Service architecture (TS 26.502).
- Release 20: change requests to TS 29.565 only. No Release 20 description (TR 21.920) exists yet; confirm against the current 3GPP work plan.
Release 16 and 17 also carried RAN work: NR_IIOT (Ethernet header compression, reference timing delivery, TSC assistance information) and NR_IIOT_URLLC_enh (propagation delay compensation, survival time). The clauses of TR 21.916 to TR 21.919 that describe each feature are on the Release history page.
Related
- Time-Sensitive Communications (TSC): Release history
- Time-Sensitive Communications (TSC): Technology
- Non-Public Networks: Specifications
- Network APIs for Connectivity Quality: Specifications
- Standardisation: how 5G-MAG submits feedback and requirements to SDOs