UPDATED (2016-09-05): Mr. Frédéric Gabin (Ericsson LM / ETSI) was elected new Chairman of SA4 by acclamation and Mr. Gilles Teniou (ORANGE / ETSI) was elected new Vice Chairman of SA4 by acclamation.

SA WG4 Codec deals with the specifications for speech, audio, video, and multimedia codecs, in both circuit-switched and packet-switched environments. Other topics within the mandate of SA WG4 are: quality evaluation, end-to-end performance, and interoperability aspects with existing mobile and fixed networks (from codec point of view).

Terms of reference 

The latest terms of reference were revised at TSG SA#70 in document SP-150812. 

The responsibilities of SA WG4 (Codec) include the following items:

The responsibilities of WG4 (Codec) are:

• Development and maintenance of specifications for speech, audio, video, and other media codecs, for media transport and handling including media related session descriptions, and for presentation layer as required to enable services specified for 3GPP terminals and systems. Note: Other 3GPP Working Groups also have responsibilities for transport.
• Guidance to other 3GPP groups concerning required QoS parameters and other system implications, including channel coding requirements, imposed by different multimedia codecs in both circuit-switched and packet-switched environments.
• Speech, audio, video, and multimedia quality evaluation (including new evaluation methods, testing, verification, characterisation, selection criteria).
• End-to-end performance, including terminal characteristics, of speech, audio, video, and multimedia services.
• Interoperability aspects with existing mobile and fixed networks from codec and media transport point of view.

These responsibilities are specific to 3GPP multimedia services involving speech, audio, video or other media.

In conducting its work, the Codec WG will strive to specify best possible technical solutions at the same time considering the planned global use of the codecs with flexibility needs imposed by different regional requirements and preferences, including differences in quality/capacity trade-offs. 

Useful links and information