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Telecom & space

From Rel-15 to R21: a decade of standards, racing against low-orbit constellations.

Topic · data as_of 2026-10-13 · six topics, 2,415 records total

32 recordsstructured records in this topic
A-grade 59.4%confidence A share (19/32)
2026-10-12data updated (data.json exported_at)

Key figures

Every figure has its own anchor, source line and as_of — citable on its own.

Rel-15 · 2018 · tbm-001Rel-152018 · tbm-001Rel-16 · 2020 · tbm-002Rel-162020 · tbm-002Rel-17 · 2022 · tbm-003Rel-172022 · tbm-003Rel-18 · 2024 · tbm-004Rel-182024 · tbm-004ITU timeline · tbm-008ITU timelinetbm-008Rel-20 · 2025 · tbm-006Rel-202025 · tbm-006Rel-19 · tbm-005Rel-19tbm-005ITU timeline · 2026 · tbm-009ITU timeline2026 · tbm-009ITU timeline · tbm-099ITU timelinetbm-099ITU timeline · tbm-115ITU timelinetbm-115
A decade of 3GPP: from Rel-15 to R21
Ten nodes covering 3GPP release freezes and the ITU 6G framework. Dates are taken as published ('around 2028', '2029-2030' enter the chart by their first year); feature freeze and ASN.1 freeze are listed separately, not merged.
Source: 3GPP · ITU-R · Trustbase Lab records tbm-001 ~ tbm-010 · confidence A · as_of 2026-10
Anchor: #fig-en-3gpp · trustbaselab.com/en/telecom/
Dark = in orbit (2026-07~09 catalogue snapshot) · light = filed long-term planStarlink11K42KQianfan (G60)23815KChina SatNet Guowang19913Kcurrentlong-term planUnit: satellites
LEO constellations: in orbit vs long-term filings differ by two orders of magnitude
In orbit (2026-09-13 public catalogue snapshot): Starlink 11,129 · Qianfan 238 · Guowang 199. Long-term filings: Starlink Gen2 42,000 · Qianfan 15,000 · Guowang 13,000. OneWeb (~651) and Amazon Leo (391) have no comparable filings and are not charted.
Source: Trustbase Lab tbm-101 ~ tbm-104 / tbm-113 / tbm-114 · confidence A · as_of 2026-09
Anchor: #fig-en-constellations · trustbaselab.com/en/telecom/
6425–7125 MHz: allocation first, trial licence second — both done6425Frequency (MHz)6 GHz · IMT (5G/6G) · 6425–7125 MHz · China Radio Frequency Allocation Regulations (2023)6 GHz · IMT (5G/6G)6425–7125 MHzChina Radio Frequency Allocation R…6 GHz · 6G trials · 6425–7125 MHz · MIIT trial licence (May 2026, first worldwide)6 GHz · 6G trials6425–7125 MHzMIIT trial licence (May 2026, firs…
6G spectrum: how 6425–7125 MHz was decided
Two steps: China's 2023 allocation regulation designated 6425–7125 MHz for IMT (including 5G/6G); in May 2026 MIIT granted the first 6G trial licence worldwide for this band. Globally, new allocations await WRC-27 (Shanghai, Oct 2027; agenda items 1.7 and 1.13).
Source: Trustbase Lab tbm-094 ~ tbm-098 · confidence A · as_of 2026-10
Anchor: #fig-en-spectrum · trustbaselab.com/en/telecom/
Two different bases (country share vs company share) — separate panels, separate axesBy country/region (tbm-107)China40.3%United States35.2%Japan9.9%Others (residual)14.6%By company (tbm-108)Huawei15.7%ZTE12%Others (residual)72.3%
6G core patents: China leads with 40.3%; Huawei 15.7% tops companies
Country: China 40.3%, United States 35.2%, Japan 9.9% (tbm-107). Company: Huawei 15.7% of global 6G core patents, ZTE over 12% (tbm-108). 'Others' is a residual (100% minus published items), not an independent statistic.
Source: Trustbase Lab tbm-107 / tbm-108 · confidence A · as_of 2026-03
Anchor: #fig-en-patents · trustbaselab.com/en/telecom/

Questions practitioners ask

Six real questions; every answer lands on specific records.

When will 6G be commercially deployed?

ITU timeline: technology proposals 2029, specifications 2030; China targets large-scale commercial use around 2030.

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When does each 3GPP release freeze?

Roughly every two years since Rel-15 (2018-06); Rel-19 to Rel-20 speeds up — see the freeze table.

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How many satellites are in orbit right now?

Starlink 11,129 · OneWeb ~651 · Amazon Leo 391 · Qianfan 238 · Guowang 199.

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How is spectrum allocated?

6425–7125 MHz is allocated to IMT in China; new global bands await WRC-27 (Shanghai, 2027).

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Who leads in 6G patents?

By country China leads with 40.3%; by company Huawei holds 15.7% (tbm-107/108).

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How many spectrum-orbit filings has China made?

China holds 38 expert positions in ITU-R groups (tbm-115); two LEO constellations plan nearly 28,000 satellites combined.

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Key numbers

All drawn from structured records; basis in parentheses.

32records in this topic
11,129Starlink satellites in orbit
42,000Starlink Gen2 filing
40.3%China's 6G core patent share
15.7%Huawei's 6G core patent share
6425–71256 GHz IMT band (MHz)
2027-10WRC-27 (Shanghai)
38China's ITU-R expert positions

Records

Record IDNameJurisdictionIssuerEffectiveConfidence
tbm-0013GPP Release 15 (first complete 5G NR release)International3GPP2018-06A
tbm-0023GPP Release 16 (5G for industry)International3GPP2020-07A
tbm-0033GPP Release 17 (coverage and reach)International3GPP2022-06A
tbm-0043GPP Release 18 (first 5G-Advanced release)International3GPP2024-06A
tbm-0053GPP Release 19 (second 5G-Advanced release)International3GPP2025-12A
tbm-0063GPP Release 20 (5G-Advanced evolution + 6G studies)International3GPP2025A
tbm-0073GPP Release 21 (6G normative work)International3GPP~2028A
tbm-008ITU-R IMT-2030 Framework (six 6G usage scenarios)International—2024A
tbm-009ITU-R IMT-2030 technical performance requirements (agrInternational—2026-02A
tbm-010ITU 6G timeline (technology proposals 2029 / specificaInternational—2029-2030A
tbm-094China's Radio Frequency Allocation Regulations (2023 eChinaMIIT2023-06A
tbm-095MIIT approves 6 GHz 6G trial spectrum licence (May 202ChinaMIIT2026-05A

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Trustbase Lab, Telecom & space (English site, batch E), records tbm-001 … tbm-115 (32 records), as_of 2026-10-13
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Trustbase Lab, 3GPP Release 15 (first complete 5G NR release), record ID tbm-001, as_of 2018-06, confidence A, source: 3GPP
3GPP · Standards milestone · Frozen
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Trustbase Lab, 3GPP Release 16 (5G for industry), record ID tbm-002, as_of 2020-07, confidence A, source: 3GPP
3GPP · Standards milestone · Frozen
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Trustbase Lab, 3GPP Release 17 (coverage and reach), record ID tbm-003, as_of 2022-06, confidence A, source: 3GPP
3GPP · Standards milestone · Frozen
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