Abstract: An integrated access backhaul, IAB, node (12) migrates a control plane connection (22) of the IAB node (12) from first radio network equipment (14A) to second radio network equipment (14B). After migrating the control plane connection (22), the IAB node (12) at least temporarily maintains a radio network layer application protocol connection (24) between the IAB node (12) and the first radio network equipment (14A).

Abstract: Embodiments include methods for a source donor centralized unit (CU) in an integrated access backhaul (IAB) wireless network. Such methods include determining that traffic between the source donor CU and a top-level IAB node in the wireless network needs to be offloaded to a target donor CU in the wireless network. Such methods include sending, to one or more descendant nodes of the source donor CU, a first indication that at least one configuration for traffic between the source donor CU and at least one IAB node is suspended, in association with migration of the top-level IAB node from the source donor CU to the target donor CU. Other embodiments include complementary methods for a target donor CU and for an IAB node, as well as CUs and IAB nodes configured to perform such methods.

Abstract: A method performed by a first network node for handling communication in a wireless communications network. The first network node receives a data packet with a header including an indicated destination, with a BAP address, and one or more values interpreted by the first network node as reserved or unknown. The first network node checks whether the first network node is an intended destination of the data packet based on the indicated destination in the header. With the proviso that the first network node is not the intended destination of the data packet and the BAP address is not included in the configured backhaul, BH, routing configuration, the first network node discards the data packet; and else, processes the data packet.

Abstract: A method and system for sharing radio network resources in a distributed ledger (DL) network that is operated between a plurality of participants including a first participant and a second participant. A DL node of the second participant determines from a distributed ledger of the DL network a smart contract that allows sharing of radio network resources owned by the first participant; executes the smart contract to generate one or more transactions between the first participant and the second participant, where a first transaction of the transactions indicates that a first portion of the radio network resources of the first participant is shared with the second participant; and records, through a consensus mechanism, the transactions in the distributed ledger.

Abstract: According to certain embodiments, a method in a network node for performing a group handover comprises receiving an indication to perform a bearer context operation on a plurality of bearer contexts and performing the indicated bearer operation on the plurality of bearer contexts.

Abstract: A method performed by a first node, for handling transmission of one or more packets from a sending node to a receiving node. The first node operates in a communications network. The communications network comprises at least one intermediate node between the sending node and the receiving node. The first node determines whether or not to duplicate the one or more packets between the first node and a second node comprised in the communications network. The first node then sends, based on a result of the determination, at least one of the one or more packets and the one or more duplicates, over a Backhaul Adaptation Protocol, BAP, layer, or one or more Backhaul Radio Link Channels between the first node and the second node.

Abstract: A source Integrated Access Backhaul, IAB, node (20) sends a handover request (110) from the source IAB node (20) to a target IAB node (30) to which a Mobile Termination, MT, (10) of an IAB node is to be migrated. The handover request (110) comprises an indication of a proxied inter donor IAB node migration of the MT (10) to the target IAB node (30). In some embodiments, according to the indication of the proxied inter donor IAB node migration, a radio resource control, RRC, connection of the IAB node is to be migrated to the target IAB node (30) but F1 connections and RRC connections of any children nodes served by the IAB node are to be kept at the source IAB node (20). In any event, the target IAB node (30) correspondingly receives the handover request (110) and sends a handover response (115) to the source IAB node (20).

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus are disclosed for preventing reestablishment at descendant nodes with no alternative paths in Integrated Access Backhaul (IAB) networks. In one embodiment, a method implemented in a network node configured to communicate with at least one descendant node over a backhaul network includes transmitting an indication to the at least one descendant network node in which the indication is associated with a radio link failure; and receiving at least one message in response to the indication, the at least one message being associated with an alternative path availability of the at least one descendant network node toward a third network node.

Abstract: A method performed by a first node, for handling transmission of one or more packets and/or one or more messages from a sending to a receiving node. The first node operates in a communications network having at least one intermediate node between the sending and the receiving node. The first node sends a first indication to a second node explicitly indicating whether or not at least one of: i) the one or more packets are, or are to be, duplicated over a General Packet Radio Service Tunneling Protocol (GTP) layer, ii) duplication of the packets over the GTP layer is enabled, supported and/or active, iii) one or more messages are, or are to be, duplicated over a Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) layer between the first node and one or more next hop nodes, and iv) duplication of the messages over the SCTP layer is enabled, supported and/or active.

Abstract: A method is performed by a source Central Unit (CU) in an Integrated Access and Wireless Access Backhaul (IAB) network. The method includes transmitting, by the source CU, a message requesting a handover of a plurality of migrating devices associated with a first IAB node migrating from the source CU to a target CU. The message comprises at least one globally unique identifier of at least one management function serving the plurality of migrating devices.

Abstract: A method performed by a child Integrated Access Backhaul (IAB) node that comprises a IAB-Mobile Termination, IAB-MT includes transmitting, to a network node operating as a parent node with respect to the child IAB node, a Radio Resource Control (RRC) setup request message comprising an IAB indication that indicates that the transmission to the network node is by the child IAB node comprising the IAB-MT.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for controlling reestablishment of integrated access and backhaul (IAB) nodes are disclosed. According to one or more embodiments, a first integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node is provided. The first IAB node includes processing circuitry configured to, responsive to receiving a radio link failure, RLF, indication from a second IAB node, consider at least the second IAB node to be at least temporarily unsuitable for camping on a cell of the second IAB node. The processing circuitry further configured to, responsive to the second IAB node being considered to be at least temporarily unsuitable for camping, cease to camp on the second IAB node for connection reestablishment.

Abstract: A method where a first network node receives from a second network node a packet with a path identifier value in the header. A plurality of bearers associated with the path are determined based on the path identifier value and used to assign at least one resource to the packet before it is transmitted to a third network node based on the at least one resource.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to, for example, a method performed by a source radio network node (140), for handling communication in a wireless communications network, wherein the source radio network node is adapted to relay data packets between a first radio network node and a UE in the wireless communications network. The source radio network node (140) transmits to a target radio network node (150,12,15) a message relating to a cell selection and/or a handover for the UE, wherein the message comprises a first user plane indication, and wherein the first user plane indication is an indication of setting up a user plane communication or not for the UE.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates in general to cellular radio network communication. In one of its aspects, the technology presented herein concerns a method performed by a network node in a wireless communication system for handling resource configurations for network nodes in an Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) network. The network node is connected to a core network of the wireless communications system and to at least one radio network node. The method includes providing, to a first radio network node and to at least one second radio network node, a message indicating a resource configuration for the first radio network node. The at least one second radio network node is a parent node to the first radio network node and the first radio network node is a child node to the at least one second radio network node.

Abstract: A method (1000) by a first network node (110) implementing Integrated Access and Backhaul, IAB, protocols includes communicating (1002), with a second network node (110), IAB data over a non-radio transport network via a non-radio transport protocol stack.

Abstract: There is provided mechanisms for assist cell selection or reselection in a relay-assisted wireless network. A method is performed by a network node. The method comprises providing, towards a user equipment that has an end-to-end wireless link composed of a wireless access link and at least one wireless backhaul link between itself and a donor node of the relay-assisted wireless network, backhaul link characteristics of the at least one wireless backhaul link. The backhaul link characteristics assist the user equipment to derive an end-to-end wireless link quality metric for the end-to-end wireless link when performing a cell selection or a reselection procedure.

Abstract: A method performed by a first node. The first node operates in a communications network. The first node determines, based on a header of a packet, a first number of hops. The first number of hops are the hops the packet has to traverse in the communications network to reach a second node in the communications network. The header of the packet indicates a second number of hops between the second node and a third node in the communications network in a first path. The first node obtains a wired backhaul connection to a core network of the communications network from the third node. The first node then initiates routing the packet towards the second node based on the determined first number of hops.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a method performed by an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) network node comprises receiving a backhaul channel configuration from a network node. The backhaul channel configuration comprises a mapping of one or more traffic identifiers to one or more wireless backhaul channels. The method further comprises receiving incoming traffic for transmission on a wireless backhaul channel, determining the wireless backhaul channel for transmitting the incoming traffic based on a type of the incoming traffic and the mapping of one or more traffic identifiers to one or more wireless backhaul channels, and transmitting the received incoming traffic on the determined wireless backhaul channel.

Abstract: A method (700) by a first Centralized Unit, CU1, (20) in an Integrated Access and Backhaul, IAB, network includes transmitting (702) a first message to a second CU, CU2, (30) or receiving a first message from the CU2. The first message includes information indicating that a portion of offloaded traffic is to be returned to the CU1, and the offloaded traffic was previously offloaded from the CU1 to the CU2.