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 they interlock, is essential for both design and audit work.

OSS/BSS platforms hold the highest-value subscriber and revenue data on the operator side, are heavily targeted for fraud and insider abuse, and are in scope for NIS2 and the UK Telecoms Security Act.

To place 3GPP in the wider telecom-security picture, review Zeroconf, 3G, A5/1, BGP, BSS and Charging System — each entry cross-references back to this page so you can walk the topic in either direction.

Related terms

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.