At the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) meeting in Seoul, Korea, on 27 and 28 May, the GSM Association joined the partnership responsible for the delivery of standards for the next generation of mobile telephony, based upon the GSM standard.

As the Organisation representing the interests of 347 GSM, Satellite and 3G network operators, regulators and administrative bodies from 133 countries and areas of the world, the role of the GSM Association will be predominately to provide the operator and consumer perspective required for the successful delivery of standards for future GSM based technology.

Michael Stocks, the Chairman of the GSM Association who was a participant in the signing ceremony said, "GSM has been the unprecedented success it has for many reasons, one of which is because it is an operator driven standard. 

Working for the future requires a clear understanding of the market and the operator as the purchaser of future technological developments and as the interface with the consumer, must necessarily bring this knowledge to the table".

The 3GPP was launched in December 1998 by five Standards Development organisations to prepare globally applicable technical specifications for Third Generation Mobile Systems. 

"The vast majority of our members will be implementing Third Generation capability, so our participation is fundamental in many respects" says Stocks. 

"In addition, the Association has within its membership three network operators who are the world's first Third Generation Licensees and the Association's role as the Global Wireless Operators Forum clearly requires participation in the delivery of future GSM based systems".