Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided to provide a network controlled radio resource control (RRC) connection establishment mechanism. The method, apparatus and computer program product receive a registration request originating with user equipment in a communication network. The method, apparatus and computer program product then construct a registration accept message. The registration accept message includes an Access Stratum Connection Establishment NSSAI (Network Slice Selection assistance information) Inclusion Mode parameter. The method, apparatus and computer program product then transmit the registration accept message to the user equipment.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for congestion management and service continuity. In some example embodiment, there may be provided a method comprising sending, by a user equipment, an indication of whether the user equipment supports an automatic re-mapping of a network slice to a fallback network slice; and receiving, by the user equipment, an acknowledgment from a network in response to the sent indication. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also disclosed.

Abstract: According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method comprising, transmitting, via a first subscriber identity module hosted by a wireless terminal, paging assistance information associated with a second subscriber identity module hosted by the wireless terminal to a core network node serving the second subscriber identity module, wherein said paging assistance information comprises information to be used to determine whether to page the second subscriber identity module when the first subscriber identity module is in connected mode and the second subscriber identity module is in idle mode and receiving, by the wireless terminal, a paging message from the core network node serving the second subscriber identity module in accordance with said paging assistance information when the first subscriber identity module is in connected mode and the second subscriber identity module is in idle

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus, said apparatus comprising means for receiving, from a distributed unit of a radio access network node at a centralized unit control plane part of the radio access network node, an indication that the distributed unit supports network slices providing local switching at the distributed unit, indicating, from the centralized unit control plane part of the radio access network node to a core network, that the distributed unit of the radio network node supports network slices providing local switching at the distributed unit, receiving a user equipment context from the core network, for a user equipment providing a request for local switching at the distributed unit, the request including an indication the user equipment is allowed to use at least one of the network slices providing local switching at the distributed unit, configuring for each of the network slices providing local switching at the distributed unit, at least one data transmission context at the distributed unit such

Abstract: There is provided support for mobile self-backhauling wireless access nodes. A method includes receiving a radio interface control plane message for establishing a radio resource control connection, determining that the received radio interface control plane message includes information indicating that the received radio interface control plane message originates from a mobile self-backhauling wireless access node, determining a controller node configured to: serve for a centralized unit of distributed units of different radio access nodes, and connect to distributed units deployed to a plurality of service areas of the radio access network. A radio resource control connection of the mobile self-backhauling wireless access node is caused to terminate at the determined controller node.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for managing user equipment configuration. In some example embodiment, there may be provided an apparatus including at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: detect a network for registration; and send, to the network, an indication that the apparatus is using a default configuration for at least one service available at the network, when the apparatus is configured with the default configuration but does not include a network specific configuration for the network. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also described.

Abstract: Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products for causing configuring user equipment (UE) for operator control of UE behavior in registering and deregistering with network slices and establishing and releasing PDU sessions in a communication system. A network entity can transmitting to UE a registration acceptance message comprising configuration information including instructions for the UE to request all single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) of a configured network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) or instructions for the user equipment to request all S-NSSAI of a default configured NSSAI.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus, said apparatus comprising means for providing a first registration request from a user equipment to a first visited network for a first network slice provided by the first visited network and providing a further registration request from the user equipment to at least one second visited network for at least one second network slice provided by the second visited network, wherein the first network slice and at least one second network slice are mapped to subscribed network slices in a home network and the at least one second network slice is not provided by the first visited network.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are described that support access to multiple mutually exclusive, isolated, and/or disjointed network slices by User Equipment, UE, across one or more networks. The UE connects (1102) to multiple network slices via a Radio Access Network, RAN, by way of one or more Radio Resource Control, RRC, connections. The RRC connections are maintained (1104) between the UE and a respective network slice by switching the connection to inactive or idle when another RRC connection needs to be established. The UE and/or the RAN switches (1106) an RRC connection from an inactive state to an active state based on a trigger condition such as receipt of a notification that downlink data is available over the inactive RRC connection. A Unified Data Management Function, UDM, stores and updates registration state information for the UE and multiple Access and Mobility Management Functions, AMFs.

Abstract: Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products for causing configuring user equipment (UE) for operator control of UE behavior in registering and deregistering with network slices and establishing and releasing PDU sessions in a communication system. A network entity can receive a registration request message from a UE. The network entity can determine one or more public land mobile network type (PLMN) types or PLMN identities and a version of an associated UE behavior policy, based at least in part on the registration request message. The network entity may request a UE behavior policy. The network entity may provide UE configuration update information to the UE.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for managing configuration updates. In some example embodiment, there may be provided an apparatus including at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: receive an indication regarding whether a home network of said apparatus makes a change to first configuration information stored at said home network and associated with the apparatus; and delete, in an instance in which the received indication represents the change, second configuration information stored at said apparatus, said second configuration information comprising information regarding one or more configurations associated with a visited network currently serving said apparatus and information regarding one or more configurations associated with one or more other visited networks.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus, said apparatus comprising means for at a user equipment registered with a first network and a second network, accessing the second network and receiving at the user equipment from the second network a downlink data notification associated with the first network.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus. The apparatus comprises means for performing: participating in a slice-specific authentication and authorization procedure for the apparatus; and receiving a message at the apparatus, the message comprising an information element indicating to a mobility management sub-layer of the apparatus a result of the slice-specific authentication and authorization procedure, and the message comprising single network slice selection assistance information for the apparatus.

Abstract: Various communication systems may implement network management tools to help manage registration requests from a user equipment. For example, network functions in a communication system with a shared data layer may be used to manage requests from the user equipment. A method may include transmitting a request from a user equipment to a network function. The method may also include receiving at the user equipment a temporary identification from the network function The temporary identification comprises an identifier that helps locate a shared data layer function that stores context information for the user equipment. In addition, the method may include transmitting from the user equipment a subsequent request comprising the temporary identification to another network function or the network function.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for managing user equipment configuration. In some example embodiment, there may be provided an apparatus including at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: detect a network for registration; and send, to the network, an indication that the apparatus is using a default configuration for at least one service available at the network, when the apparatus is configured with the default configuration but does not include a network specific configuration for the network. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also described.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising means for performing: receiving an indication of a set of at least two different capabilities of the apparatus that are to be made available to a network in which the apparatus is operating; generating capability information of the apparatus in accordance with the received indication; and making the generated capability information available to the network.

Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus comprising means for performing: receiving first radio capability information from a user equipment, the first radio capability information in a format of a first radio access technology; generating second radio capability information of the user equipment based on the first radio capability information, wherein the second radio capability information is generated in a format of a second radio access technology; and sending the first radio capability information and the second radio capability information to a core network node.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus, said apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including a computer program code, the at least one memory and computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: at a user equipment, the user equipment having a first universal subscriber identity module, USIM, associated with a first network and at least one second USIM associated with a second network, provide an indication from the at least one second USIM to the second network that paging notifications for the second network are to be provided to the first USIM of the user equipment via the first network, receive a paging notification for the second network at the first USIM of the user equipment via the first network and provide the paging notification from the first USIM to the second USIM in the user equipment.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for managing configuration updates. In some example embodiment, there may be provided an apparatus including at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: receive an indication regarding whether a home network of said apparatus makes a change to first configuration information stored at said home network and associated with the apparatus; and delete, in an instance in which the received indication represents the change, second configuration information stored at said apparatus, said second configuration information comprising information regarding one or more configurations associated with a visited network currently serving said apparatus and information regarding one or more configurations associated with one or more other visited networks.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code; the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: determine (1100) that an aggregate bit rate for a network slice reached a threshold value; and adjust (1102) at least one of a maximum bit rate per terminal for the network slice or a maximum number of terminals allowed to operate on the network slice.