Abstract: There is provided an 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: receive, at a first network repository function in a first network from a security edge protection proxy in a second network, a request for discovering one or more roaming hubs and/or security edge protection proxies in the first network; and send, from the first network repository function to the security edge protection proxy in the second network, a response comprising information identifying the one or more roaming hubs and/or security edge protection proxies in the first network and information identifying one or more further networks which can be reached via a respective roaming hub and/or security edge protection proxy in the first network.

Abstract: There is provided a network apparatus configured to receive from a core network function a request to discover at least one access network node serving a user equipment, the request comprising a first user equipment identifier for identifying the user equipment in a core network; and use the user equipment identifier to provide to the core network function a second user equipment identifier identifying the user equipment in the access network, and at least one access network node identifier identifying at least one access network node in the access network that serves the user equipment.

Abstract: Techniques for enhancing subscription authorization in a communications network are provided. For example, a method in a source network function service producer or an apparatus for a source network function service provider is disclosed. The method comprises: receiving a subscription request including access authorization information from a network function service consumer for a subscription to receive a notification upon occurrence of a specific event; verifying that the network function service consumer is authorized to create the subscription to the source network function service producer; storing subscription context and access authorization information granted for the subscription if the subscription request is authorized.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods, apparatuses and computer readable storage media for indirect communication. In example embodiments, a method is provided. The method comprises receiving, at a second service communication proxy (SCP), a service request and an access token from a first SCP, the service request originating from a first network function (NF) for requesting a service from a second NF and comprising a header indicating scope information about the requested service; verifying the access token based on the header of the service request; and in response to the verification of the access token succeeding, transmitting the service request to the second NF without transmitting the access token to the second NF. As such, the verification of the access token is offloaded from the second NF to the SCPp, thereby reducing the overhead on the second NF.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for load and/or overload control in 5GC SBA are provided. One method may include transmitting, from a network function (NF) service consumer, overload control information (OCI) comprising scope information to a network function (NF) service producer or service communication proxy (SCP). The scope information may include at least one of: scope set to a notification uniform resource identifier (URI), or scope set to one of network function (NF) service instance, network function (NF) service set, network function (NF) instance, or network function (NF) set, and optionally a service name.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for the assignment of a common edge application server (EAS) for ad-hoc groups of user equipment (UE). A method may include generating or updating binding information comprising a correlation between a group identifier of an ad-hoc group of user equipment (UE) and an edge application server (EAS) identifier assigned to the ad-hoc group, and storing, updating, and/or deleting the binding information, or causing the binding information to be stored, in a database.

Abstract: In an embodiment, there is provided an architecture for the support of user plane transactions over a mobile network between an User Equipment UE and an IP network, the mobile network comprising at least one node, referred to as control plane node, supporting control plane transactions between the UE and the mobile network over control plane bearer, the architecture includes the UE and the control plane node adapted to support user plane transactions over the mobile network between the UE and the control plane node, over control plane bearer, the control plane node adapted to support user plane transactions over the mobile network between the control plane node and the IP network without need of user plane bearer in the mobile network, the control plane node interfacing, with or without IP tunneling, with a gateway function interfacing with the IP network.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program is described comprising: receiving a first register request from a first node of a mobile communication system at a network repository function of a mobile communication system, wherein the first register request registers parameters or capabilities of the first node in the network repository function to enable the network repository function to provide information relating to said parameters or capabilities to a second node of the mobile communications system, wherein at least one of the first and the second node is an access node of the mobile communication system.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides measures for analytics control. Such measures exemplarily comprise receiving, from a network entity consuming analytics, an analytics demand including an input data identifier indicative of input data on the basis of which said analytics are to be performed, obtaining the input data based on the input data identifier, performing said analytics on the basis of said input data, and providing, to said network entity consuming analytics, a result of said analytics.

Abstract: It is provided a method comprising at least one of a) and b): a) monitoring whether a service request to produce a producer service is received and producing the producer service if the service request is received, wherein the producer service is a service produced by the access network; and b) consuming a producer service from a core network or an access network, wherein the producer service is consumed by an access network.

Abstract: A method comprising: receiving information from a Session Management Function; determining, from the information, to transmit to a Radio Access Network node at least one of a message and an information element, the at least one of the message and the information element comprising a sequence number of a last transmitted (or next to be transmitted) user plane Protocol Data Unit carrying a valid user plane payload of a Quality of Service Flow of a Multicast and Broadcast Services multicast session; and transmitting at least one of the message and the information element to the Radio Access Network node while no downlink multicast packet in the Multicast and Broadcast Services multicast session is available for transmission to the Radio access Network node.

Abstract: Various example embodiments relate to relate to network nodes (20A; 20B), methods and computer program products configured to hand over a communication link between a cell and user equipment (10) in a wireless communication network from a source cell (40A) to a target cell (40B; 40C).

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus comprising: means for providing, to a network repository function, a discovery request comprising a preferred locality query parameter, wherein the preferred locality query parameter comprises a plurality of location descriptions, and means for receiving, from the network repository function, a response to the discovery request, wherein the response comprises one or more service producers that match the preferred locality query parameter.

Abstract: There are provided measures for local user plane function control. Such measures exemplarily comprise obtaining access network related information, receiving, from a session management function entity, at least one pre-rule, generating, based on said at least one pre-rule and said access network related information, a first rule of at least one rule related to local traffic offloading, assigning said first rule to a first user plane function entity of at least one user plane function entity under control of said intermediate session management function entity, and transmitting said first rule to said first user plane function entity.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus, said apparatus comprising means for, at a network repository function, NRF, receiving, from a NRF consumer, a registration request comprising first information, determining, based on the first information, a preferred NRF instance for the NRF consumer and at least one backup NRF instance for use by the NRF consumer if the preferred NRF instance is unreachable and providing an indication of the determined preferred NRF and an indication of the determined at least one backup NRF to the NRF consumer.

Abstract: There are provided measures for optimization of network function profile administration and discovery. Such measures exemplarily comprise, at a network entity in a network entity composition, transmitting, towards a network repository function, a network entity registration request including an identifier of said network entity, an identifier of said network entity composition, and network entity specific attributes of said network entity, and receiving a network entity registration response indicative of a result of said network entity registration request.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus, said apparatus comprising means for providing, from a first function instance of a set of first function instances to a second function, first information comprising an indication that a protocol session between the first function and the second function is controllable by different instances of the set of first function instances and receiving, at one of the set of first function instances from the second function, a protocol session related message based on the first information.

Abstract: It is provided a method comprising: inquiring a repository function to provide identifications of all producers registered in the repository function and satisfying a query condition; receiving or obtaining the identifications of all the producers registered in the repository function and satisfying the query condition upon the inquiring; requesting, using the received or obtained identifications, each of the producers to provide a service.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for the assignment of a common edge application server (EAS) for ad-hoc groups of user equipment (UE). A method may include generating or updating binding information comprising a correlation between a group identifier of an ad-hoc group of user equipment (UE) and an edge application server (EAS) identifier assigned to the ad-hoc group, and storing, updating, and/or deleting the binding information, or causing the binding information to be stored, in a database.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising means for performing: sending, to a network entity, a Network Function Discovery request comprising parameter information; and receiving, from the network entity, a response to the request, the response comprising: at least one identifier for at least one Network Function service producer; and at least one of: information ranking the at least one Network Function service producer according to how well the at least one Network Function service producer matches the request; and an indication of how much of the parameter information is matched by one or more parameters of the at least one Network Function service producer.