3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project)

An international standardization body developing specifications for 3G, 4G, 5G, and future mobile network generations. 3GPP includes major telecommunications standards organizations from different regions (ETSI from Europe, ARIB from Japan, etc.), ensuring interoperability and consistency across global networks. 3GPP is responsible for security requirements in modern mobile networks.

Categories: Protocols and StandardsOperations and BusinessInternet and Routing

3GPP in context

Telecom security is written into standards from 3GPP, GSMA, ETSI, IETF and ITU-T. Understanding which body owns which specification, and how the specs interlock (for example 3GPP TS 33.501 with GSMA FS.34 for 5G SBA security), is essential for both design and audit work.

OSS/BSS platforms (provisioning, charging, mediation, order management) hold the highest-value subscriber and revenue data on the operator side. They are heavily targeted for fraud and insider abuse and are increasingly in scope for regulatory obligations like NIS2 and the UK Telecoms Security Act.

To place 3GPP in the wider telecom-security picture, review 3G, IP, Zeroconf, ZSM, GSMA Permanent Reference Documents (IR Series) and LEO.

Related terms

Related topic hubs

More from the TelcoSec Glossary

Browse the full TelcoSec Glossary, the Ultimate Guide to Mobile Network Security, or the P1 Arsenal of telecom-security tools.