Point to Multipoint (PTM) will be one of the major items in the next phase of 3GPP work. After producing a first version of 5G Rel-15 in December 2017, 3GPP RAN group is setting the plan for additional items such as: Broadcast, NR V2X and MIMO.

Qualcomm will be moderating the discussion on Broadcast (see RP-172795). There should be a preliminary proposal defining the possible scope of the study item in RAN#79 in March, followed by a consensus Study Item proposal in RAN#80 in June. The study item/work item development are expected to be carried out in Rel-16/17.

There have been earlier attempts to introduce a Study Item on 5G PTM  by several 3GPP members in 3GPP RAN (SamsungQualcomm,  EBULG), and recently in 3GPP SA4 (Huawei). But, these proposals were postponed due to higher priority Work and Study Items in Rel-15.

5G-Xcast is a 5GPPP project focused on PTM  applications in Media delivery, IOT and V2X and Public Warning Systems.  PTM transmissions are key technical components for the new 5G radio access and core networks, not only for television (TV) services, that have traditionally led the definition of PTM components in 3G and 4G LTE, but also for other vertical industries which role in the recent standardization efforts of eMBMS was equally important. 

PTM transmissions are key technical components for the new 5G radio access and core networks, not only for television (TV) services, that have traditionally led the definition of PTM components in 3G and 4G LTE, but also for other vertical industries which role in the recent standardization efforts of eMBMS was equally important. 3GPP has enhanced the PTM capabilities of 4G LTE in all releases since the adoption of eMBMS (enhanced Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service) in Rel-9. Recent enhancements cover not only TV services, but also critical, machine-type and vehicular communications.