Abstract: A solution for reliable communication in an apparatus of a communication system is provided. The solution comprises receiving (302) from a network element data packets to be transmitted to a user terminal; maintaining (304) one or more transmit buffers for transmitting data packets to the user terminal; transmitting (306) data packets to a user terminal; receiving (308) information from the user terminal regarding whether one or more data packets are successfully or not successfully received; transmitting (310) on the basis of received information acknowledgement information to another network element of the communication system; receiving (312) a notification that one or more packets have been successfully transmitted to the user terminal from a second corresponding apparatus; and, if the one or more transmit buffers comprise the successfully transmitted packets, removing (314) the packets from the buffers.

Abstract: An exemplary embodiment provides an apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause said apparatus to determine that a path switch can be initiated during a handover of a user equipment from a first access node to a second access node, determine at least one condition for initiating the path switch, postpone the initiation of the path switch until the at least one condition has been met, and in response to determining that the at least one condition has been met, indicate the initiation of the path switch to the first access node or the second access node.

Abstract: According to an aspect, there is provided an access node for a radio access network. The access node comprises means for determining, in response to receiving a plurality of data packets associated with one or more radio bearers for scheduling to terminal devices, an over-the-air transmission mode of each radio bearer. The means are further configured to, in response to determining that the one or more radio bearers comprise one or more first explicit multi-unicast, Xcast, radio bearers using multicast and one or more second radio bearers using unicast, schedule the one or more radio bearers according to a first scheduling mechanism. The first scheduling mechanism prioritizes the one or more first Xcast radio bearers to maximize a system throughput.

Abstract: A method for operating a network entity (gNB) for a cellular radio access network (RCN) is proposed, the method comprising: determining at least one downlink radio condition of the cellular radio access network (RCN); determining user equipments subscribing to a content flow (HPF-1; HPF-2; LPF-1; LPF-2), wherein the content flow (HPF-1; HPF-2; LPF-1; LPF-2) is associated with at least one flow property; mapping the content flow (HPF-1; HPF-2; LPF-1; LPF-2) to at least one radio bearer in dependence on the at least one downlink radio condition and in dependence on the at least one flow property; receiving the content flow (HPF-1; HPF-2; LPF-1; LPF-2); and transmitting the content flow (HPF-1; HPF-2; LPF-1; LPF-2) according to the determined at least one mapping to the subscribing user equipments.

Abstract: According to an aspect, there is provided an access node for a radio access network. The access node comprises means for determining, in response to receiving a plurality of data packets associated with one or more radio bearers for scheduling to terminal devices, an over-the-air transmission mode of each radio bearer. The means are further configured to, in response to determining that the one or more radio bearers comprise one or more first explicit multi-unicast, Xcast, radio bearers using multicast and one or more second radio bearers using unicast, schedule the one or more radio bearers according to a first scheduling mechanism. The first scheduling mechanism prioritizes the one or more first Xcast radio bearers to maximize a system throughput.

Abstract: A method for operating a network entity (BS) for a cellular radio communications network (4) is provided, the method comprising: receiving first multicast/broadcast traffic data; buffering the first multicast/broadcast traffic data; transmitting the first multicast/broadcast traffic data via a first downlink channel (DMCH); receiving a retransmission request via an uplink channel (UFCH); determining second multicast/broadcast traffic data in dependence on the buffered first multicast data and in dependence on the received retransmission request; and transmitting the second multicast/broadcast traffic data via a second downlink channel (DRCH).

Abstract: A method for providing congestion information in a network is performed in a memory available to a computing entity. A traffic demand is obtained within a certain part of the network by evaluating an amount of traffic in the part of the network per time. A congestion value representing a congestion level of a bottleneck connection link in the network is calculated. The congestion value is a scalar and calculated based on a comparison between measured and/or estimated traffic and traffic demand within a certain part of said network.

Abstract: A system is described in which a default MME (9A) receives a NAS message (S501, S505) from a mobile device (3D); sends a rerouting request (S509) to a base station (5) serving the mobile device (3D) and includes information identifying a group of dedicated MMEs (9D) to which the NAS message should be rerouted. If none of the dedicated MMEs (9D) is available, then the default MME (9A) receives a message from the base station (5), the message rerouting the NAS message to the default MME (9A), instead of a dedicated MME (9D). The default MME (9A) either proceeds (S515a) to serving the mobile device (3D) or the default MME (9A) rejects (S515b) the NAS message.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus, said apparatus including means for receiving, at a central unit of a base station, a measurement report from at least one user equipment receiving multicast traffic from a first distributed unit, wherein the measurement report includes at least one cell controlled by a second distributed unit and configuring, based on the measurement report, at least the first distributed unit and the second distributed unit with data transmission parameters for performing multi-cell point to multipoint transmission of multicast traffic.

Abstract: In one example, requirement(s) are determined for data flows though different logical instances of mobile networks. The data flows are between UE(s) and the logical instances of the mobile networks. Information for the determined requirement(s) is sent to a multiple node controller to allow the multiple node controller to output information to enable configuration of RRC. The configuration causes the RRC to cause radio subflow(s), which flow through different radio legs and to the UE(s), to satisfy the requirement(s). In another example, mapping is received that maps different logical instances of mobile networks and their associated service flows to radio subflows that flow through different radio legs and to UE(s). The radio subflows, which flow through different radio legs and to the UE(s), are caused to satisfy the requirement(s) for the data flows. Apparatus, methods, programs, and program products are disclosed.

Abstract: Communication includes transmitting first and second traffic flow packets via a first radio bearer to a second device; detecting that further second traffic flow packets will be transmitted via a second radio bearer to the second device; and transmitting a packet data unit via the first radio bearer to the second device to indicate a switch of the second traffic flow while first traffic flow packets are transmitted via the first radio bearer. Communication may also include receiving first and second traffic flow packets from a first device via a first radio bearer; receiving from the first device a packet data unit indicating that further second traffic flow packets will be received via a second radio bearer while the first traffic flow is received via the first radio bearer; and establishing the second radio bearer between the first and second devices.

Abstract: A method for providing a virtual base station in a mobile network comprising a virtual base station (VBS), wherein the VBS comprises at least one radio access point (RAP) and a virtual radio access function (VRAF), includes configuring the VBS by providing a description of radio access functionalities, which are executed by the RAP or by the VRAF; and jointly executing the VBS locally on the at least one RAP and on a centralized entity (CE) forming a logical functional network entity.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for mobility. In some example embodiments, there may be provided a method that includes determining whether to handover to a target base station, the determining based on whether a security level of the target base station satisfies a security threshold; enabling a relocation of a packet data convergence protocol entity to enable ciphering a tunnel to a user equipment, when the security level satisfies the security threshold; and inhibiting the relocation of the packet data convergence protocol entity to inhibit ciphering a tunnel to the user equipment, when the security level does not satisfy the security threshold. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also described.

Abstract: In one example, requirement(s) are determined for data flows though different logical instances of mobile networks. The data flows are between UE(s) and the logical instances of the mobile networks. Information for the determined requirement(s) is sent to a multiple node controller to allow the multiple node controller to output information to enable configuration of RRC. The configuration causes the RRC to cause radio subflow(s), which flow through different radio legs and to the UE(s), to satisfy the requirement(s). In another example, mapping is received that maps different logical instances of mobile networks and their associated service flows to radio subflows that flow through different radio legs and to UE(s). The radio subflows, which flow through different radio legs and to the UE(s), are caused to satisfy the requirement(s) for the data flows. Apparatus, methods, programs, and program products are disclosed.

Abstract: Various communication systems may benefit from differentiated quality of service management. For example, specific applications run on a user equipment in a 5G radio access network may benefit from the flexible differentiated quality of service management. A method includes determining a service flow setup, and mapping traffic through the service flow by a common convergence sublayer entity to at least one radio convergence sublayer entity. The method also includes controlling the traffic through the service flow.

Abstract: A method for managing flows in a network with a plurality of forwarding elements routing the flows between network entities of a network or network domain includes marking flows between network entities with congestion information by at least one of the forwarding elements such that the highest congestion level prevailing on the respective flow path is indicated, identifying locations of one or more possible and/or present bottlenecks and/or congestions in the network based on the congestion information, and performing one or more actions to avoid, mitigate, and/or resolve the identified possible and/or present bottlenecks and/or congestions.

Abstract: A method including determining a plurality of access points (APs) to be used in an access point cluster set (CS) for a user device (UD); and for at least one of the plurality of access points (APs), assigning an access point availability state from a plurality of possible access point availability states, where the plurality of possible access point availability states includes a suspended state.

Abstract: A method for providing a virtual base station in a mobile network comprising a virtual base station (VBS), wherein the VBS comprises at least one radio access point (RAP) and a virtual radio access function (VRAF), includes configuring the VBS by providing a description of radio access functionalities, which are executed by the RAP or by the VRAF; and jointly executing the VBS locally on the at least one RAP and on a centralized entity (CE) forming a logical functional network entity.

Abstract: A method for providing congestion information in a network is performed in a memory available to a computing entity. A traffic demand is obtained within a certain part of the network by evaluating an amount of traffic in the part of the network per time. A congestion value representing a congestion level of a bottleneck connection link in the network is calculated. The congestion value is a scalar and calculated based on a comparison between measured and/or estimated traffic and traffic demand within a certain part of said network.

Abstract: A method and system for switching a base station from an inactive operational mode to a more active operational mode in a hierarchically structured mobile communication network preferably a WiMAX or LTE network, with at least one small cell base station and at least one macro cell base station in a radio access network includes: a) determining a current operational mode of the at least one small cell base station; b) switching the small cell base station from an inactive operational mode to a more active operational mode depending on the determined current operational mode; c) checking whether at least one predefined criteria in addition to a parameter indicating the current operational mode of the small cell base station is fulfilled; and d) depending on the checking result of step c) transmitting a switching signal from a higher level network entity to the small cell base station.