Specification
3GPP TS 26.501: 5G Media Streaming (5GMS); General description and architecture
At a glance
- Title
- 5G Media Streaming (5GMS); General description and architecture
- Newest version
- V20.0.0 (Rel-20)
- Versions indexed
- 5
- Newest per release
- Rel-16: V16.15.0 (2024-07-08); Rel-17: V17.10.0 (2024-07-08); Rel-18: V18.9.0 (2026-06-30); Rel-19: V19.4.0 (2026-06-30); Rel-20: V20.0.0 (2026-10-05)
In plain words
TS 26.501 specifies the 5G Media Streaming (5GMS) architecture, including MNO and third-party Downlink Media Streaming Services and Uplink Media Streaming Services. It supports related network and UE functions and APIs, "backwards compatible functions for EUTRAN deployments (with and without MBMS)", and 5G specific features. V20.0.0 includes CRs on instantiating energy architecture in 5GMS System and making 5G Media Streaming independent of 5G System.
Source: 3GPP TS 26.501 V20.0.0, clause 1. © 3GPP Organizational Partners (ARIB, ATIS, CCSA, ETSI, TSDSI, TTA, TTC). Official text: https://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/archive/26_series/26.501/26501-k00.zip
Newest version in each release
| Release | Newest version | In the archive | TSG meeting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rel-20 | V20.0.0 | 2026-10-05 | TSG SA #113 |
| Rel-19 | V19.4.0 | 2026-06-30 | TSG SA #112 |
| Rel-18 | V18.9.0 | 2026-06-30 | TSG SA #112 |
| Rel-17 | V17.10.0 | 2024-07-08 | TSG SA #104 |
| Rel-16 | V16.15.0 | 2024-07-08 | TSG SA #104 |
Source: 3GPP specification archive, versions indexed by 3GPP Scout. Each version links its official file.
Change requests in V20.0.0
V20.0.0 of TS 26.501 includes 2 CRs.
| CR | Category | Subject | Source | Working group meeting | TSG TDoc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CR 0115 rev 3 | B | [Energy_ARCH-MED] Instantiate energy architecture in 5GMS System | BBC, Orange, InterDigital Communications, Qualcomm Incorporated | SA4 #137-e | SP-260786 |
| CR 0120 rev 1 | B | [AMD_ARCH_Ph2-MED] 5G Media Streaming independent of 5G System | Qualcomm Incorporated | SA4 #137-e | SP-260785 |
Source: 3GPP CR database.
Meetings behind the latest versions
Working group meetings that agreed the CRs in V20.0.0:
- SA4 #137-e: 2 CRs
Plenary meetings:
- TSG SA #113 approved V20.0.0 (Rel-20)
- TSG SA #112 approved V19.4.0 (Rel-19)
- TSG SA #112 approved V18.9.0 (Rel-18)
Source: 3GPP CR database and specification archive, as indexed by 3GPP Scout.
Clauses changed in V20.0.0
39 clauses changed or added in V20.0.0. The 10 with the largest edits are listed. Each clause number opens Scout on that clause.
| Clause | Title | Change | CRs |
|---|---|---|---|
| I.1 | Introduction | added | |
| I.2 | Generic underlying network model | added | |
| I.3 | Feature dependency index | added | |
| 4.0.15 | Energy collection, reporting and exposure | added | |
| I.4.1 | Content hosting, media delivery and content preparation | added | |
| I.4.2 | Content publishing and uplink media delivery | added | |
| I.4.3 | Service URL handling | added | |
| 4.3.1 | Media architecture | changed | |
| 4.12.1 | Functional entity instantiation | added | |
| 4.12.2 | Reference point instantiation | added |
Source: 3GPP Scout comparison of this version with the one before it.
Sources
- 3GPP TS 26.501 V20.0.0, clause 1. © 3GPP Organizational Partners (ARIB, ATIS, CCSA, ETSI, TSDSI, TTA, TTC). Official text: https://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/archive/26_series/26.501/26501-k00.zip
- 3GPP specification archive, versions indexed by 3GPP Scout.
- 3GPP CR database.
How this page was made
The facts box and the tables come straight from the 3GPP specification archive and CR database as indexed by 3GPP Scout. An AI model (GPT-6 Luna) wrote the paragraph and named the source of each sentence. Code checked every quote word for word against the stored source text and every number against the cited source. A second AI model from another company (Claude Opus 5.5) reviewed the paragraph against the same sources. The 3GPP documents themselves govern.