Abstract: The present disclosure proposes methods and network elements for managing background data transfer (BDT). A method for managing BDT comprises: receiving, from a second network element, a first request for subscription of notification for network performance recovery; determining that network performance is recovered from a degraded network performance; and transmitting, to the second network element, a first notification for network performance recovery.

Abstract: Network nodes and methods for control thereof for dynamic network slice selection. An AMF receives a UE request originating from the UE, the UE request being any one of a registration request and a session request. A network slice requester controls a transmitter to transmit a network slice selection request to a PC_NSS. A selection data manager of the PC_NSS determines selection data specifying one or more UE specific parameters affecting network slice selection. A network slice selector selects a network slice assignable for the UE, based on the selection data, determines network slice data and a corresponding network slice routing rule, and transmits them to the AMF. A network slice manager of the AMF controls assignment of a network slice to the UE in dependence on the received network slice data and network slice routing rule.

Abstract: A method for access and mobility policy control in a communications network, the method comprising receiving at a first policy control entity for handling UE policies from a network node a notification including access and mobility policy data for a user equipment, the notification further including an application identifier or a packet flow descriptor to which the access and mobility policy data applies; obtaining at the first policy control entity PDU session information for the user equipment relative to the application identifier or the packet flow descriptor, particularly wherein the PDU session information is at least one of an application start/stop event, an out of credit event, a reallocation of credit event or a usage report; and modifying at least one access and mobility policy at the first policy control entity based on the obtained PDU session information. The network node may be a user data repository.

Abstract: A method performed by a first node (e.g., a network exposure function (NEF)) is provided. The method includes: the first node subscribing to an event for one or more user equipments (UEs) at a second node (e.g., a policy and control function (PCF)). Subscribing to the event comprises indicating one or more filters selected from the group of (i) a set of network identifiers (e.g., data network names (DNNs)) that the subscription applies to, (ii) a set of network slice identifiers (e.g., single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAIs)) that the subscription applies to, and (iii) a set of locations to which the subscription applies.

Abstract: The present disclosure addresses missing procedures on subscription to notification of subscription data changes in current standards and provides for amending the “Policy Data Subscription” data structure to indicate that the URI of the “Policy Data Subscriptions” resource and the URI of the “Individual Policy Data Subscription” resource are excluded from the list of resources for which a modification triggers a notification. The present disclosure also provides for new attributes to be included in the “Policy Data Change Notification” data type.

Abstract: The embodiments herein relate to methods, network functions, and computer readable medium for handling dynamic group membership for an application group in a mobile communication system. In one embodiment, there proposes a method performed by a network function implementing a policy control function, comprising: receiving, from a network function implementing a terminal management function and/or a network function implementing a data repository function, a notification message indicating one or more changed application groups, wherein the notification message comprises one or more internal group identifiers each of which identifies respective one of the one or more changed application groups. With embodiments herein, it enables the PCF to properly handle all the service procedures that are related to the UE subscription to respective application groups.

Abstract: A method performed by a first node (e.g., a network exposure function (NEF)) is provided. The method includes: the first node subscribing to an event for one or more user equipments (UEs) at a second node (e.g., a policy and control function (PCF)). Subscribing to the event comprises indicating one or more filters selected from the group of (i) a set of network identifiers (e.g., data network names (DNNs)) that the subscription applies to, (ii) a set of network slice identifiers (e.g., single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAIs)) that the subscription applies to, and (iii) a set of locations that the subscription applies to.

Abstract: Network nodes and methods for control thereof for dynamic network slice selection. An AMF receives a UE request originating from the UE, the UE request being any one of a registration request and a session request. A network slice requester controls a transmitter to transmit a network slice selection request to a PC_NSS. A selection data manager of the PC_NSS determines selection data specifying one or more UE specific parameters affecting network slice selection. A network slice selector selects a network slice assignable for the UE, based on the selection data, determines network slice data and a corresponding network slice routing rule, and transmits them to the AMF. A network slice manager of the AMF controls assignment of a network slice to the UE in dependence on the received network slice data and network slice routing rule.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods, entities and computer readable storage media for error handling. The method at a first entity includes: determining, based on a policy decision provisioned by a second entity, that an error in at least one of: reference of a session rule and/or a Policy and Charging Control, PCC, rule to the policy decision, or an attribute in the policy decision; and transmitting, to the second entity, a notification of the error.

Abstract: One aspect provides a method performed by a network node implementing a network function repository function in a core network. A registration request message to register a CHF in a repository of network functions is received, the registration request message includes an indication of one or more sets of charging characteristics supported by the CHF and addressing information to reach the CHF. Each CHF in the repository is registered. A discovery request message including one or more search parameters for identifying a CHF, including at least an indication of a set of charging characteristics to be applied for the packet data connection is received. A CHF that supports the indicated set of charging characteristics is identified based on the one or more search parameters. A discovery response message comprising the addressing information to reach the identified CHF is transmitted.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a SMF (106) that receives a session request message transmitted by a User Equipment, UE (102), the session request message comprising a DNN and S-NSSAI pair; and after receiving the session request message, the SMF transmits towards a PCF (110), a policy create message that includes one or more of: i) the DNN and S-NSSAI pair from the session request message, ii) information indicating that a user plane for a PDU session for the DNN and S-NSSAI pair is redundancy capable, and iii) subscription information for the UE that indicates that the subscriber is allowed to have redundant transmissions.

Abstract: Methods, a policy node and a charging node for enabling spending limit control for a user equipment in a telecommunication network. The policy node obtains an identifier related to the user equipment, an identifier of a policy counter and a set of policy counter statuses to be monitored by the policy node. The set of policy counter statuses are related to the identifier of the policy counter. The policy node sends, a request for reporting of policy counter statuses related to the user equipment for the policy counter. The request includes the identifier related to the user equipment, the identifier of the policy counter and the set of policy counter statuses. A policy counter status of the set of policy counter statuses is determined. The policy counter status has changed as determined by the charging node. A response to the request is sent and includes the policy counter status that has changed.

Abstract: The present disclosure addresses missing procedures on subscription to notification of subscription data changes in current standards and provides for amending the “Policy Data Subscription” data structure to indicate that the URI of the “Policy Data Subscriptions” resource and the URI of the “Individual Policy Data Subscription” resource are excluded from the list of resources for which a modification triggers a notification. The present disclosure also provides for new attributes to be included in the “Policy Data Change Notification” data type.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method performed by a Session Management Function (SMF) for providing Access Network (AN) are disclosed. In some embodiments the method comprises receiving from a Policy Control Function (PCF) a request for AN information. The method also includes determining whether the AN does not support reporting of the requested AN information. The method also includes upon determining that the AN does not support reporting of the requested AN information, sending, to the PCF, a notification that the AN does not support reporting of the requested AN information. The method also includes upon determining that the AN does support reporting of the requested AN information: acquiring the requested AN information and sending the requested AN information to the PCF.

Abstract: A method is performed by a first node, such as a PCF node, of a telecommunication network is provided. The method includes providing an alternative charging profile and an alternative QoS profile to a second node, such as a SMF node, as part of a policy and charging, PCC, rule. The method also includes requesting the second node to apply charging from the PCC rule according to the alternative charging profile based on a QoS degradation. A method performed by a second node also is provided.

Abstract: Embodiments include methods for a policy control function (PCF) of a communication network. Such methods include, during establishment of a packet data unit, PDU, session for a user equipment, UE, determining one or more UE application descriptors that correspond to a network application identifier (AppId) of a service data flow (SDF) template for the PDU session. Each UE application descriptor includes a first identifier (OSId) of a UE-supported operating system (OS) and a second identifier (OSAppId) of an application for the UE-supported OS identified by the first identifier. Such methods include sending policy rules for the PDU session to a session management function (SMF) of the communication network. The policy rules include the UE application descriptors. Other embodiments include complementary methods for an SMF, as well as PCFs and SMFs configured to perform such methods.

Abstract: A method performed by an application function, AF, for a communication network, wherein the AF has been informed, in a first notification, about an out-of-credit event associated with a user of a service provided by the AF, the method comprising sending subscription request, to a network function, NF, for requesting notifications about reallocation-of-credit events associated with one or more users of a service provided by the AF; receiving, from the NF, a second notification of a reallocation-of-credit event associated with the user of the service provided by the AF for which the AF has been informed about the out-of-credit event, such that the AF can perform one or more second actions with respect to the service.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for event notification in a core network of a cellular communications system. In one embodiment, a method performed by a first Policy and Control Function (PCF) serving an Access Management (AM) policy association for a User Equipment (UE) wherein the first PCF is comprised in a core network of a cellular communications system comprises subscribing to an event exposure service of a second PCF serving a Session Management (SM) policy association for the UE. The method further comprises, responsive to subscribing to the event exposure service of the second PCF, receiving a report from the second PCF. In this manner, separate deployments of the first and second PCFs are enabled and still the first PCF serving the AM policy association for the UE can implement AM policies for the UE, e.g., based on UE data usage, e.g., of specified service bundles.

Abstract: A method by a network function communicating with a unified data repository of a communications network. The method including receiving from the UDR a subscription identifier for a subscription by the network function to receive data change notifications from the UDR. The method also including sending toward the UDR a change request containing an instruction to change data in the UDR and containing the subscription identifier to signal the UDR to not send to the network function a notification regarding this change to the data.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling the transmission of user data over an NAS of a telecommunications network. An AMF includes a receiver configured to receive NAS policy control data determined by a PCF. The NAS policy control data identifies a user, is based on the user's subscription to the telecommunications network and includes one or more authorization parameters identifying whether the user is permitted to transmit user data over the NAS. The receiver also receives from a UE, or an AS, an NAS transmission request identifying the user and requesting transmission of user data over the NAS. An NAS transmission authorizer controls whether the transmission of the user data over the NAS should be authorized based on the authorization parameters and the NAS transmission request.