This Recommendation identifies the IMT-Advanced family member, "LTE-Advanced evolved packet core network". This release of the family member is known to the Standards Development Organizations (i.e., ARIB, CCSA, ETSI, ATIS, TTA, TTC) as the "3GPP Release 11".

The core network interfaces identified in this Recommendation and the radio interfaces and radio access interfaces which are identified in [ITU-R M.2012] Annex 1 constitute a complete system specification for the terrestrial usage of this IMT-advanced family member. It is the intent of the ITU-T that the references in this Recommendation are only to specifications that specify the core network aspects of this IMT-Advanced Family Member.

In the event that a referenced specification also includes material that specifies any of the radio aspects of this IMT-advanced family member, [ITU-R M.2012] shall take precedence.

NOTE – The structure and content of this Recommendation have been organized for ease of use by those familiar with the original source material; as such, the usual style of ITU-T Recommendations has not been applied.