Incentives
Two of the researchers were expected to deliver the solution proposal by 16 February, 2018. However, they have requested a further extension until the end of February to refine the paper. The meeting planned for the middle of February 2018 to review the proposal (and move to the technical specification and simulation phase) has been rescheduled for the beginning of March. This is the latest it can be pushed before it starts to block planned progress on Decentralisation. Once this occurs, the incentives scheme will be evaluated before the process of planning its implementation and integration into the Cardano platform. Two of the senior engineers will execute the simulations needed to establish the required level of confidence in the model.
From the latest weekle tech report.
So, no way beta-tests start before this meeting… imho the most optimist target for SHelley - early q2 will not be achieved… more likely we will see tests in late march hope not april!, that will last at least 1 month or so, looks like the release to the public will not be before June