By Eng Wei Koo, Keysight Technologies

It has been a long-standing ambition for Keysight to be able to bring the 3GPP Plenary meetings to Singapore.

With the preparations for the TSGs#112, to be held at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre from June 8-12, well underway – The achievement of making it happen is now beginning to feel dauntingly real.

Singapore partners are pulling together to make sure that hosting 3GPP is not only a success for the 3GPP groups, but also a springboard for interest in standards in the region. My view is that Singapore is currently under exposed when it comes to standards and the workings of 3GPP. Bringing the 3GPP delegates to Singapore will put the country on the map and act as a much needed catalyst to local participation.

As host, Keysight is grateful for the active support and partnership of the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and the Singapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau (SECB). This reflects Singapore's commitment to advance global telecommunications standards and the country’s position as a leading digital infrastructure hub.

This has been in the planning since 2024, when Wanshi Chen the former TSG RAN Chair and Balazs Bertenyi, another former TSG SA and RAN Chair and the 3GPP’s meeting hosting chief, both generously took time during a busy TSG RAN week to discuss the idea with the Singapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau. That meeting successfully sowed the seed for this June’s events.

As the senior Keysight technologies, Singapore delegate - with over twenty years in the groups - this meeting feels like an exciting departure to me. Not only is Singapore a new country for the plenaries, but also we have committed to host without the direct participation of any one of the 3GPP Organizational Partners (OP). We have been working through steep learning curves but thankfully with the support of the Mobile Competence Centre (MCC), the 3GPP TSG Chairs, Balaz’s leadership in the MHPG, our CCSA colleagues and many others as we have travelled along this path – We have made good progress with our plans.

The Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre was chosen after careful surveys of multiple meeting venues. The centre offers world class meeting hosting facilities and is centrally located in the heart of Singapore city.  

I don’t want to give too much away too soon, but during the 112^th 3GPP plenary meetings, in addition to business-as-usual, we are planning some special treats to deliver a taste of Singapore along the week’s schedule. A highlight will be a social event on the Tuesday evening alongside a Showcase of our collaborations with the local community of 6G researchers and experts.  

Planning for a 3GPP standardization overview session for the local community is also underway, to be held outside of the TSG meetings, with the goal to create networking opportunities between global telecommunications experts and Singapore's tech community.

3GPP delegate registration is now open …here