Abstract: Methods, system and apparatus are provided to perform network slice admission control within a service area of an operator network and across service areas of the operator network. A central Network Slice Admission Control Function (NSACF) supporting multiple service areas of at least one operator network receives an admission request from a network function (e.g., AMF, SMF or SMF+PGW-C) belonging to a service area of an operator network. The admission request includes information identifying the service area and may include an identifier of the network operator. The central NSACF performs network slice admission control based on whether the UE is newly admitted to the network slice in the service area or whether the UE has already been admitted in a different service area.

Abstract: A first network function in a network node is described. The network node comprises a communication interface and processing circuitry. The communication interface is configured to transmit a registration to a registry function to register an associated service profile indicating a network node capability to expose at least one of Internet Protocol, IP, Multimedia Subsystem, IMS, events and IMS analytics data on behalf of one or more IMS nodes; receive a request to subscribe to and be notified of the at least one of the IMS events and the IMS analytics data; notify of the at least one of the IMS events and the IMS analytics data based at least in part on the received request. Information related to the at least one of the IMS events and the IMS analytics data is obtained, by the processing circuitry, from the corresponding IMS nodes in the IMS network.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for counting registered User Equipments (UEs) in a network slice service area. In one embodiment, a method performed by an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) in a core network of a cellular communications system comprises receiving a registration request from a UE and, responsive to receiving the registration request from the UE, initiating a registration procedure and determining whether the registration request received from the UE is applicable for update of counting for a respective network slice to be used by the UE. The method further comprises sending, to a Network Function (NF) that maintains a count of a number of UEs that are using the respective network slice, a message that causes an update to the count of the number of UEs that are using the respective network slice.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein that relate to supporting Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) routing with multiple IMS Protocol Data Unit (PDU) sessions over different core network slices. In one embodiment, a method comprises, at an Interrogating Call Session Control Function (I-CSCF), receiving a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) invite message for an incoming session, where the SIP invite message comprises an IP Multimedia Public Identity (IMPU) of a target User Equipment (UE). The method further comprises, at the I-CSCF, sending, to a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), a query for Serving Call Session Control Functions (S-CSCFs) having registrations for the IMPU of the target UE and receiving, from the HSS, information that indicates two or more S-CSCFs having registrations for the IMPU of the target UE. The method further comprises, at the I-CSCF, forwarding the SIP invite message to at least one of the two or more S-CSCFs.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for dynamic retrieval of Network Slice Admission Control (NSAC) information in a Visited Public Land Mobile Network (VPLMN) of a User Equipment (UE). In one embodiment, a method performed by a network node in a VPLMN of a UE comprises receiving, from the UE, a request comprising information indicating a particular network slice that is subject to NSAC. The method further comprises obtaining subscription data that comprises information that indicates whether VPLMN or Home Public Land Mobile Network (HPLMN) control should be applied for NSAC and sending an update request to a Network Slice Admission Control Function (NSACF) in the VPLMN of the UE, wherein the update request comprises the information that indicates whether VPLMN or HPLMN control should be applied for NSAC.

Abstract: A method for supporting authentication of a User Equipment, UE, in an Internet Protocol, IP, Multimedia Subsystem, IMS, telecommunication network, by interfacing a Service Based Architecture, SBA, telecommunication network, the method including receiving, by a Unified Data Management, UDM, in the SBA telecommunication network, from a Session Management Function, SMF, in the SBA telecommunication network, binding information, wherein the binding information is used to identify the UE in the IMS telecommunication network; receiving, by the UDM in the SBA telecommunication network, from a Home Subscriber Server, in the IMS telecommunication network, a request for providing the binding information, and providing, by the UDM in the SBA telecommunication network, to the HSS in the IMS telecommunication network the binding information, thereby supporting authentication of the UE. Complementary methods and corresponding nodes are also presented herein.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system are provided for slice and/or subscriber identification module (SIM) device locking/unlocking. In one embodiment, a method implemented in a user equipment, UE, having one or more subscriber identification module, SIM, is provided. The method includes activating one or more subscriber identification module, SIM for a UE. The method includes, as a result of activating, initiating a request to register the UE with a network, and receiving allowed Network Slice Selection Assistance Information, NSSAI. The method includes associating received one or more single-NSSAI, S-NSSAI, indicated by the allowed NSSAI to one of the one or more SIM in the UE according to a policy. The method includes using one of the one or more S-NSSAI associated to one of the activated SIM to establish a Packet Data Unit, PDU, session.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for P-CSCF restoration. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a P-CSCF restoration message, the P-CSCF restoration message including an indication of a failed P-CSCF server; as a result of the received P-CSCF restoration message, identifying at least one Session Management Function, SMF, server associated with the failed P-CSCF server; and communicating, to the identified at least one SMF server, a restoration message for tearing down at least one session for at least one user equipment, UE, associated with the failed P-CSCF server. In another embodiment, a method includes as a result of a received restoration message, at least one of: tearing down at least one session for at least one user equipment, UE, associated with the failed P-CSCF server; and notifying the at least one UE of the failed P-CSCF server.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for supporting traffic management capabilities under network control. In one embodiment, a method performed by a wireless communication device comprises receiving one or more User Equipment (UE) Route Selection Policy (URSP) rules from a network node, receiving traffic control information associated to the one or more URSP rules, and performing one or more actions based on the one or more URSP rules and the traffic control information. In this manner, the network is given control of slice traffic management such that the network can force the UE to perform an action(s) when the network thinks that such action(s) is beneficial.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for short message service (SMS) delivery are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method implemented in a unified data management, UDM, node includes setting a short message service, SMS, function, SMSF, registration notification flag to detect an SMSF registration event associated with a user equipment, UE. In another embodiment, a method implemented in a home subscriber server, HSS, node includes sending a request to subscribe to a notification at a unified data management, UDM, node about a short message service, SMS, function, SMSF, registration event associated with a user equipment, UE.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for bulk PDU session release between a wireless device and a control plane entity in a wireless system such as for example a 5G core network or similar is provided. The method comprises the wireless device determines that two or more Packet Data Unit, PDU, sessions established within the wireless system that are associated to at least one Data network identified by a Data Network Name, DNN, or to at least one Single Network Slice Assisted Information, S-NSSAI, should be released and transmits to a control entity of a core network, a Non-Access-Stratum, NAS, message indicating one of the at least one DNN or the at least one S-NSSAI for which the corresponding PDU sessions should be released all at once with a single message.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for IMS slicing-enabled IMS voice sessions between autonomous machines and/or voice related services. A method for a first user equipment, UE, for authenticating the first UE is provided. An alert voice call is communicated to a second UE for initiating authentication of the first UE. A voiceprint of a user for the authentication of the first UE is communicated, via an IMS slice, and based at least in part on an analysis of the voiceprint, an authentication success message or an authentication fail message is received. A method for an Application Server includes receiving, via an IMS slice, a voiceprint of a user. The voiceprint is compared to a voiceprint sample. The voiceprint sample is associated with the first UE. Based at least in part on the comparison, an authentication success message or an authentication fail message is communicated.

Abstract: Systems and methods for dynamic Radio Access Technology (RAT)/Frequency Selection Priority (RFSP) selection for a User Equipment (UE) are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of operation of a core network entity in a core network of a cellular communications system comprises selecting a RFSP index for a UE during setup of a packet data session for the UE where the RFSP index is an index to a specific Radio Resource Management (RRM) configuration for the UE and sending a message comprising the selected RFSP index to another core network entity. In some other embodiments, a method of operation of a core network entity comprises detecting an application that is using a packet data session of a UE, selecting a RFSP index for the UE based on the detected application, and sending a message comprising the RFSP index to another core network entity.

Abstract: A method implemented in an access and mobility management function, AMF, node that implements at least one congestion control process is provided. A message including a first indication that the message is exempt from the at least one congestion control process is received by a UE. The message is forwarded to the SMF either with the exempt indication or, if this is missing, an indication that the AMF applies a congestion control. The SMF, only when receiving the forwarded message with the additional information inserted by the AMF, carries out a validation of the message of the UE, thus preventing that a UE tags a message to be exempted from congestion control, when it should be not be exempt.

Abstract: A method, implemented by a security relay node in a Public Land Mobile Network, PLMN, wherein the method comprising the steps of receiving, from a Network Function, NF, within the PLMN, a control packet to be provided to a further PLMN, relaying said control packet to a remote security node for delivery of the control packet to the further PLMN, wherein the remote security node being outside of both the PLMN and being outside the further PLMN.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method for handling a quota(s) for a network slice that supports interworking between first and second cellular communications systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises, at a first Network Function (NF), receiving a message associated to: registration or attachment of a User Equipment (UE) with the first cellular communications system for a particular network slice that supports interworking, registration or attachment of the UE with the second cellular communications system for the particular network slice, establishment of a session in the first cellular communications system for the particular network slice, or establishment of a session in the second cellular communications system for the particular network slice. The method further comprises, at the first NF, determining that a quota check is needed and performing a procedure to check the quota for the particular network slice and, if needed, update an associated count.

Abstract: A method performed by a first network node, such as an AMF, for providing an IMS service for a UE in a wireless communications network. The first network node obtains an IMS provider name for the UE (10) using the IMS service; and selects a second network node (14) for the IMS service based on the obtained IMS provider name.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for network slicing based visited or non-public network prioritization. In one embodiment, a method performed by a first Network Function (NF) in a home network of a wireless communication device in a roaming scenario comprises obtaining Steering of Roaming (SoR) information for the wireless communication device, the SoR information comprising a prioritized list of visited or non-public networks that are prioritized based on one or more network slices requested by the wireless communication device and/or one or more network slices to which the wireless communication device is subscribed. The method further comprises sending, towards the wireless communication device, a message comprising the SoR information. Embodiments of a first NF, embodiments of a second NF in the visited or non-public network and methods of operation thereof, and embodiments of a wireless communication device and method of operation thereof are also disclosed.

Abstract: The method comprises receiving, from an application node associated with a communications network, a first identifier of a first network slice of the communications network. The first data session is established by a communications device through the first network slice; receiving a request, from the first communications device to upgrade the first data session to handle a second media type, wherein the request comprises session description information corresponding to an upgraded data session handling the second media type; and in response to the received request, and based on the first identifier of the first network slice and the session description information, sending an indication to the communications device that a second data session on a second network slice identified by a second identifier is required for the upgrade to handle the second media type to take place.

Abstract: A method (300) performed by a first management function The method includes determining whether or not to trigger a network slice access control function (NSACF) procedure. The method also includes, after determining to trigger the procedure, transmitting a first request message to an NSACF, the first request message comprising: i) a network slice ID, ii) a UE ID, and iii) a first session ID. The method also includes receiving a response message transmitted by the NSACF.