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 provide for adaptive paging for user equipment (UE) with multiple subscriber identification modules (SIMs). A UE may provide, in a registration message to the network, an indication that the UE supports multiple SIMs. The network may allow repeated paging to let a SIM miss a paging occasion without interpreting that the UE is unavailable. The indication from the UE can specify the number of SIMS supported by the UE. The network can adapt the number of paging repetitions to the UE. If the UE is accepting paging from another network or has a SIM that is already active with the network, the UE sends the network a paging control message. If the UE detects a paging occasion conflict, the UE sends the network a registration message with a replacement ID for paging another SIM, and the UE and the network negotiate appropriate paging.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products provide for specifying, in quality of service (QoS) requests, alternative QoS-related parameter sets and/or alternative traffic pattern parameter sets. In the context of one method, the method receives a QoS request comprising one or more QoS parameters and/or one or more traffic pattern parameters, and one or more alternative QoS parameter sets and/or one and more alternative traffic pattern parameter sets. The method also selects the one or more QoS parameters or an alternative QoS parameter set of the one or more alternative QoS parameter sets based on a supporting capability of a network. The method also causes transmission of a Policy and Charging Control (PCC) rule based on the selected parameters and transmits an indication of the selected parameters.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for efficient registration for partially supported service areas are provided. One method may include providing, to at least one user equipment registered to a network within a registration area, information comprising one or more lists of single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAIs) and one or more lists of tracking area identities (TAIs). The one or more single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAIs) is included in a list of rejected single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAIs) or in a list of extended rejected single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAIs), and is associated with a cause value indicating that the one or more single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAIs) is not supported uniformly in the registration area and is not supported in a current tracking area.

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: In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, a method comprising: receiving, at a network node of a registration area (RA), a list of cells and their associated tracking area identities (TAIs) from at least one other network node of the RA; determining which of the received TAIs are neighbouring TAIs of one of the TAIs of the network node; building a list of neighbouring TAIs corresponding to the at least one other network node; transmitting, to a network management entity, a list of closed access group identifiers (CAG IDs) supported by the network node's TAIs and the list of neighbouring TAIs corresponding to the at least one other network node; and receiving, from the network management entity, a list of user equipment (UE) allowed CAG IDs.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus, said apparatus comprising means for receiving, from a first user equipment associated with a network via a first path, a request at a second user equipment associated with the network, for the second user equipment to act as a relay node for the first user equipment acting as a master node to provide a second path between the first user equipment and the network, wherein the first user equipment and the second user equipment are connected using a proximity service interface, performing, at the second user equipment, an authorisation procedure with the network to act as a relay node for the first user equipment and providing an indication to the first user equipment that the second user equipment is authorised to act as a relay node for the first user equipment.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided herein to receive, from a source, performance requirements, and cause transmission, to a network, of a request to influence time sensitive communications (TSC) configuration parameters. For example, a method is provided to in response to the request to influence TSC configuration, receive, from the network, network configuration and radio access network (RAN) resource constraints and determine a quality of service (QoS) and the TSC configuration parameters to support a TSC data stream based on the performance requirements received from the source, the network configuration, and the RAN resource constraints. The method is further configured to cause transmission of the determined QoS and the TSC configuration parameters to the network and the source and in an instance the network accepts the determined QoS and the TSC configuration parameters, configure resources for the TSC data stream and continuously support service continuity.

Abstract: It is provided a method, comprising querying a network repository function to provide a respective identifier of each of one or more network functions; selecting a selected identifier of the one or more identifiers received in response to the querying; requesting a service from the network function identified by the selected identifier, wherein each of the network functions provides the service and fulfills a condition; the condition comprises at least one of a distance condition related to a distance between the respective network function and a reference point, a performance condition related to a performance of the respective network function, a capacity condition related to a capacity of the respective network function, an operational state condition related to an operational state of the respective network function, and a reliability condition related to a reliability of the respective network function.

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: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for services, such as SMS, location services, and/or the like over the NAS through a non-cellular access. In some example embodiments, there may be provided a method that includes receiving, via a non-access stratum connection through a wireless local area network, a notification message; sending a service request message to request, via the non-access stratum connection through the wireless local area network, delivery of downlink data for a service; and receiving, via the non-access stratum connection through the wireless local area network, the downlink data for the service. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also described.

Abstract: In some example embodiment, there may be provided an apparatus configured to at least: receive information including survival time and/or traffic pattern information indicative of deterministic traffic; determine, based on the received information, a packet handling type indicative of whether the deterministic traffic is to be carried in a selective packet duplication mode or an alternative packet transmission mode over at least two links; and perform, based on at least on the survival time, the indicated packet handling type to enable the deterministic traffic to be carried over the at least two links in the selective packet duplication mode or the alternative packet transmission mode.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for providing IMS level awareness of high latency device are provided. One method, when a UE attaches to EPC, receiving, at a network node, an indication that the UE is a high latency device. The method may also include assigning, to the UE, an IP address selected from a special IP address range that is designated specifically for high latency devices. When the UE performs IMS registration, the method may include determining that the UE is a high latency UE based on the UE's IP address provided with the IMS registration request and assigned during the EPC attach procedure.

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: 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.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for a 3GPP bridge for time sensitive networks. In some example embodiment, there may be provided an apparatus causes to at least: receive at least one management object, the at least one management object comprising routing information between an ingress port at a 3GPP bridge and an egress port at the 3 GPP bridge; determine, for the ingress port and the egress port combination, at least one quality of service constraint to provide a delay guarantee towards a destination media access control address, the determination based on the received at least one management object and one or more bridge delays indicating a delay between the ingress port and the egress port; and cause a change, based on the determined at least one quality of service constraint, to a protocol data unit session carrying a time sensitive network flow.

Abstract: Various communication systems may benefit from an improved signaling protocol. For example, machine-to-machine communications in a network may benefit from improved signaling and security. A method includes establishing a secure data transmission path for an application. The secure data transmission path is used to transmit data between a user equipment and a network element. The network entity includes a gateway or an application server. The method also includes transmitting data for the application over the secure data transmission path using a pre-configured radio bearer. The radio bearer is pre-configured for data transmission between the user equipment and an access node located between the user equipment and the network element. In addition, the method includes receiving a response message at the user equipment from the network element through the secure data transmission path.

Abstract: In some example embodiments, there may be provided a method that includes receiving, at a user equipment while being served by a first system and during protocol data unit session establishment or modification procedure, a message including an access point name aggregate maximum bit rate value; and when there is an inter-system change from the first system to the second system, setting, at the user equipment, the access point name aggregate maximum bit rate value of a session management context for the second system to the received access point name aggregate maximum bit rate value received while being served by the first system. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also described.

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: identify a plurality of allowed network slices of a terminal; and select at least one network slice among the plurality of allowed network slices of the terminal to be used for at least one signalling connection.