Ian Doig

UK Radiocommunications Agency - Telecommunications Technical Officer

For eight years, Ian Doig had been a Higher Telecommunications Technical Officer with the UK Radiocommunications Agency before being seconded to ETSI as a Technical Editor in 1993. He later joined ETSI as a staff member. Ian was responsible for the coordination and editing of the output of Technical Committee Special Mobile Group (SMG) and its working groups, the ETSI predecessor to 3GPP. Additionally, and in conjunction with STF12, Ian took on much of the coordination of the working methods of SMG, which had inherited the work on second generation cellular technology from CEPT Groupe Spécial Mobile (GSM).

Ian played a key role in the foundation of 3GPP, helping to establish and explain the project’s working procedures and processes.

In 2000 he took his skills and knowledge of ETSI and 3GPP work back into industry, on behalf of Motorola and later as a lead BlackBerry delegate until his retirement at the end of 2019.

Ian also contributed greatly to ITU and CEPT groups, representing his company’s position with a positive attitude, constructive behaviour and great technical knowledge and insight.

Ian’s dedication to telecommunications standardisation was very well known and acknowledged throughout ETSI and later 3GPP.

Ian’s goal had always been to contribute positively to ETSI in the interest of the entire membership and for the greater good of the Industry. For 3GPP he travelled the world, committed to creating the best-documented standards in the industry, and was renowned for his perspicacity and for having an eye for spotting ugly and ambiguous wording. Ian’s knowledge of the rules of the game was profound, and many a timely intervention immeasurably improved the quality of the standard’s text.

Ian Doig passed away in February 2020. He is missed by ETSI and 3GPP colleagues and his many friends.