Abstract: Network initiated re-authorization for coverage enhancement It is provided a method, comprising checking if a device is authorized for initiating an access in an extended coverage; inhibiting the device to initiate the access while the device camps in the extended coverage and the device is not authorized for the initiating of the access in the extended coverage; monitoring if a paging message for the device is received while the device camps in the extended coverage, wherein the paging message is to initiate a signaling access in the extended coverage for a signaling procedure to get the latest status of coverage authorization; allowing the device to initiate the signaling access while the device camps in the extended coverage if the paging message is received.

Abstract: A plurality of interworking functions, which provide inter-working between a communication network acting as an access network and a non-public network, is associated with a plurality of sites or network slices hosted by the non-public network (S201). A user equipment is configured Process 1 to select an interworking function of the plurality of interworking functions based on information on a site or network slice the user equipment is associated with, of the plurality of sites or network slices (S203).

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided herein to provide a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session priority parameter. For example, a method is provided that comprises identifying a need in a user equipment (UE) for establishing a new protocol data unit PDU session. The method also includes evaluating whether to establish a new PDU session and determining whether to establish a new PDU session based on a PDU session priority parameter when a maximum number of PDU sessions the UE can establish in the network is reached.

Abstract: This specification describes apparatus comprising means for sending, from a first network function service consumer instance to an authorisation server, a request for an access token for use in accessing a service provided by a network function service producer, wherein the request includes an identifier of a set of network function service consumer instances of which the first network function service consumer instance is a member; receiving, at the first network function service consumer instance from the authorisation server, an access token for use in accessing the service provided by the network function service producer, wherein the access token includes the identifier of the set of network function service consumer instances of which the first network function service consumer instance is a member; and sending, from the first network function service consumer instance to the network function service producer, a request to access the service provided by the network function service producer, wherein the

Abstract: Various example embodiments described herein generally relate to apparatuses, methods and computer programs. For instance, an apparatus may include at least one processor and at least one memory including computer code, the at least one memory and the computer code configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to receive, at a user plane function, a request to establish a session from a session management function, where the user plane function is part of a set of user plane functions. The at least one memory and the computer code may be further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to cause a response to be provided to the session management function, where the response includes information uniquely identifying the session in the set of user plane functions.

Abstract: A plurality of interworking functions, which provide interworking between a communication network acting as access network and another communication network, is associated with a plurality of network slices or non-public networks hosted by the other communication network. A user equipment performs connection (S301) to a communication network acting as access network, and selects (S303) an interworking function of the plurality of interworking functions based on information on a network slice or non-public network hosted by the other communication network, wherein the user equipment is associated with the network slice or non-public network.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for edge services are disclosed. A network function entity receives from an application function entity a request relating to a data communication session, and can then determine, in response to the request, information of at least one local network exposure function entity for the application function entity. The application function entity is provided with the information of the at least one local network exposure function entity. The information can be used in connecting with a local network exposure function entity. The local network exposure function entity can then be used for the data communication session.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for distributing multicast packets in individual protocol data unit (PDU) sessions are provided. One method may include receiving, at a user plane node, a request from a session management node, to receive packets for a multicast session and/or to send packets from the multicast session within a protocol data unit (PDU) session. The method may also include determining whether the user plane node was already configured to receive incoming packets for the multicast session, and informing the session management node as to whether the user plane node was already configured to receive the incoming packets for the multicast session.

Abstract: Techniques for enforcing packet detection rules within communication systems are provided. A network entity may configure a user plane function to detect whether a domain name system request sent by a user equipment satisfies one or more packet detection rules. The network entity may receive, from a user plane function, a report that a domain name system request sent by the user equipment has been detected as non-compliant with instructions sent to the user equipment. The network entity may cause one or more corrective actions relating to traffic offloading.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for providing services in a communication system are disclosed. A request for a service provided by a service function entity in a network system is received, wherein the request indicates an identity of a user for which the service is requested. An identity of a group of service function entities capable of serving the user and determined based on the identity of the user is then provided, and an indication of the determined identity of the group is sent in the response for subsequent use by the sender of the request and/or at least one other entity involved in requests for services associated with the user.

Abstract: In an embodiment, there is provided a method for the support of data transmission in a packet mobile network, for PDN connectivity over the packet mobile network between an User Equipment UE and an external Packet Data Network PDN, the packet mobile network comprising a Core Network CN accessed by a Radio Access Network RAN, the data transmission using a tunnel over an interface between a serving RAN node and a serving user plane CN node, the method including support of the data transmission in a mode referred to as connectionless transmission mode, wherein the tunnel over the interface is predefined and identified using information referred to as Connection ID information, providing a reference to the PDN and to the serving user plane CN node.

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: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for optimized mobility management signaling in, for example, a data-centric network architecture are provided. One method may include storing data in at least one database of a shared data layer, such that the data stored in the shared data layer is shared by a plurality of network entities.

Abstract: Various aspects described herein relate to apparatus, methods, and computer programs for retrieving an identifier of a subscription network of a mobile subscriber in a communication system. For example, one such method includes registering with a network repository function network function as a mobile number portability network function providing a service allowing a consumer to retrieve an identifier of a subscription network of a mobile subscriber. This method also includes receiving a request from the consumer to retrieve the identifier of the subscription network of the mobile subscriber. This method further includes sending a response to the consumer comprising information to retrieve the identifier of the subscription network of the mobile subscriber.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for packet data network gateway (PGW) selection for network slicing are provided.

Abstract: Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products for providing an enforcement mechanism for the maximum number of user equipments per network slice in a communication system are provided. A method, system, and apparatus may receive, from a user equipment (UE), a registration request message comprising requested Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (NSSAI) through an access network (AN). The requested NSSAI comprises one or more single-NSSAIs (S-NSSAIs) subject to a capping number of UEs allowed to access one or more network slices associated with the one or more S-NSSAIs. The method, system, and apparatus may cause transmission of a service request message to a network slice selection function (NSSF). The service request message includes indications of the one or more S-NSSAIs.

Abstract: According to certain embodiments, a method and apparatus may include performing, by a first network entity, at least one benchmarking procedure of at least one network hop delay per at least one transmit resource towards at least one peer network node identified by at least one internet protocol destination address. The method and apparatus may further include deriving, by the first network entity, a second table, by, for each peer node associated with an internet protocol destination address, determining at least one existing configured mapping of at least one network instance into a transport resource Ti per internet protocol destination address. The method and apparatus may further include updating, by the first network entity, the first table and the second table for each internet protocol destination address and transmitting the updated second table to the second network entity.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus configured to protect security of communication in roaming scenarios between a first network and a second network, the apparatus being a first apparatus residing in the first network and comprising means for in response to a selection of transport layer security as a security capability mechanism, transmitting, to a second apparatus residing in the second network and configured to protect security of communication in roaming scenarios between the first network and the second network, a request to terminate connections over a forwarding interface between the first apparatus and the second apparatus.

Abstract: An aspect of the disclosed invention provides a network apparatus for a network function, the network apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory comprising code that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the network apparatus to: in response to a request from a service consumer, determine a first network service function for providing services to the service consumer; determine an identity of a second network service function, wherein the second network service function is an alternative or backup network service function to provide the service to the service consumer; and provide the service consumer with the identity of the second network service function.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided herein to provide service continuity between a Stand-alone Non-Public Network (SNPN) and a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN). For example, a method is provided that comprises after determining that the user equipment (UE) with the first protocol data unit (PDU) session established in the first SNPN is or will be leaving the coverage area of the first SNPN, causing a request message to be transmitted to the UE, wherein the request message comprises a request to initiate a second PDU session establishment procedure towards a PLMN. The method also includes causing the UE to establish the second PDU session with an internet protocol anchor function of a user plane function in the PLMN via the first SNPN radio access network (RAN) or via the PLMN RAN, wherein the second PDU session is established prior to release of the first PDU session.