Abstract: According to an exemplary embodiment a method may be provided to operate a central unit, CU, node that is coupled with first and second distributed unit, DU, nodes. Communication is provided between the CU node and a mobile communication device through the first DU node over a first radio link between the first DU node and the mobile communication device. A message is received from the first DU node informing the CU node that the radio link is temporarily unavailable. Responsive to receiving the message, communication through the first DU node is suspended, wherein configuration of the first DU node to serve the mobile communication device using the first radio link is maintained. While suspending communication through the first DU node, communication may be provided through the second DU node over a second radio link between the second DU node and the mobile communication device.

Abstract: A method in a first network node comprises exchanging identifiers with a second network node, the exchanged identifiers for use in reestablishing a first S1 Application Protocol (S1AP) connection with the second network node associated with a first Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) connection between the first network node and the second network node. The method comprises storing the identifiers in association with an S1AP context, and sending, in response to a determination that the first S1AP connection with the second network node should be suspended, a request to suspend the first S1AP connection to the second network node. The method comprises reestablishing the first S1AP connection with the second network node using at least one of the stored identifiers, wherein the reestablished first S1AP connection is associated with the second SCTP connection between the first network node and the second network node.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a method for use in a user equipment (UE) of resuming a radio bearer in a wireless communication network comprises: establishing a radio resource control (RRC) connection with a first network node; receiving a connection suspend message from the first network node; storing a configuration of a radio bearer associated with the RRC connection; suspending the radio bearer associated with the RRC connection; receiving a connection resume message; determining whether the connection resume message includes configuration information for NR packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) for the suspended radio bearer; upon determining the connection resume message includes configuration information for a NR PDCP, configuring the suspended radio bearer with the configuration information; and resuming the suspended radio bearer.

Abstract: A method performed by a user equipment, UE, for handling communication in a wireless communication network, providing dual connectivity, DC, communication through a master node using a master cell group, MCG, over a first radio interface between the UE and the master node and through a secondary node using a secondary cell group, SCG, over a second radio interface between the UE and the secondary node. The UE detects a failure associated with the SCG and suspends actions associated with the SCG. The UE further performs a reconfiguration of the SCG in case the UE has received a MCG radio resource control, RRC, message comprising SCG configuration, wherein performing the reconfiguration of SCG comprises applying the reconfiguration; and resuming or not resuming the actions associated with the suspended SCG.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method in a wireless device for transmitting an uplink signalling message in a wireless communication network. The wireless device is connected to a first network element over at least a first and a second wireless link. The method comprises determining a transmission mode among alternative transmission modes for transmitting the uplink signalling message. The alternative transmission modes comprise: transmitting on the first wireless link; transmitting on the second wireless link; and transmitting on both the first and the second wireless links. The method also comprises transmitting the uplink signalling message according to the determined transmission mode. The disclosure also relates to a corresponding method performed in the network element, and to the corresponding apparatus.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are disclosed for user equipment and/or network nodes. An example method performed by a user equipment includes establishing a connection to a Radio Access Network via a network node. The connection provides communications between the UE and the network node using a Signaling Radio Bearer configured with a New Radio (NR) Packet Data Convergence Protocol configuration. The user equipment receives a Radio Resource Control connection re-establishment message and re-establishes the connection to the RAN. The re-establishing includes applying a Long-Term Evolution PDCP configuration to the SRB.

Abstract: An access node (20) of a cellular network receives an information centric networking request of a user equipment (10) for a data object. The access node forwards the information centric networking request to a local gateway (30) associated with the access node (20). The local gateway (30) maintains a pending interest table including an entry for each data object having a pending information centric networking request at the local gateway (30). In response to the user equipment (10) moving from a coverage area of the access node (20) to a coverage area of a further access node (21), the access node (20) and the further access node (21) perform a handover procedure. The further access node (21) is associated with a further local gateway (31) maintaining a further pending interest table. The further pending interest table includes an entry for each data object having a pending information centric networking request at the further local gateway (31).

Abstract: New Radio (NR) RRC includes an RRC_INACTIVE state, which introduces ambiguities in the network's knowledge of UE behavior. A mechanism is introduced for handling parameters received when a UE enters RRC_INACTIVE upon the UE attempting to resume an RRC connection and, as a response, receiving a Release or Suspend message. The timer associated to the mobilityControlInfo (equivalent to T320) is stopped and associated parameters discarded upon receiving RRC Release or Suspend. Information received in a Release or Suspend message is discarded upon receiving RRC Release or RRC Suspend.

Abstract: There is provided network units operating based on different radio access technologies and one or more associated wireless communication devices. In downlink, DL, a network unit of the first RAT is configured to transmit a DL carrier in a frequency channel of the first RAT that is higher than the frequency channel of the second RAT. Correspondingly, a wireless communication device is configured to receive and demodulate and/or decode the DL carrier of the first RAT. In the uplink, UL, the wireless communication device is configured to transmit an UL carrier of the first RAT in an UL frequency channel overlapping with the UL frequency channel of the second RAT. Correspondingly, the network unit is configured to receive and demodulate and/or decode the UL carrier of the first RAT.

Abstract: A wireless device is configured for wirelessly communicating with one or more types of Radio Access Networks (RANs) providing control-plane connectivity to one or both of a first type of core network and a second type of core network. The device configures a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) at the device, e.g., at least for initial control-plane signaling, in dependence on whether the device is connected, or connecting, to the first type or the second type of core network. In at least one embodiment, the device configures PDCP for the second type of core network as a default choice, when control-plane connectivity to the second core network is available. In an example arrangement, the RAN types are LTE and 5G New Radio (NR), and the core network types are Evolved Packet Core (EPC) and 5G New Generation Core Network (NGCN).

Abstract: According to certain embodiments, a method by a first network node operating as a secondary node for a wireless device having dual connectivity to the first network node and a second network node operating as a source master node is performed during a handover of the wireless device from the second network node operating as the master node to a third network node operating as a target master node. The method includes receiving, from the second network node operating as the source master node, an indication that the first network node is to release one or more resources for serving user plane data to the wireless device. In response to the indication, control plane data is transmitted to the wireless device while ceasing to provide user plane data to the wireless device.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to base station and method for content synchronization when broadcasting data in a communications network. The base station comprises a receiver configured to receive data sequences and a transmitter configured to transmit content of the received data sequence. Each data sequence comprises a packet level sequence number and byte-numbered sequence numbers. The base station further comprises a processing circuitry configured to synchronize transmission with another base station of the content using said packet level sequence number and said byte-numbered sequence numbers.

Abstract: A method may be provided to operate a CU node that is coupled with first and second DU nodes. Communication is provided between the CU node and a mobile communication device through the first DU node over a first radio link. A message is received at the CU node from the first DU node that the radio link is temporarily unavailable. Responsive to receiving the message, communication between the CU node and the mobile communication device through the first DU node is suspended, wherein configuration of the first DU node to serve the mobile communication device using the first radio link is maintained. While suspending communication between the CU node and the mobile communication device through the first DU node, communication may be provided between the CU node and the mobile communication device through the second DU node over a second radio link.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments include methods performed by a cellular Internet of Things, CIoT, user equipment, UE, for transmission of data in a communication network comprising a radio access network, RAN, and a core network, CN. Embodiments include sending, to an Access and Mobility Management Function, AMF, a request to establish a small-data user-plane, SDUP, data session. Embodiments can also include receiving a response indicating that the requested SDUP data session is established. The response can include an identifier associated with a user-plane function, UPF, within the CN, that supports the established SDUP data session. The response can also include an SDUP security configuration for communication between the UE and the CN during the established SDUP data session. Embodiments can also include subsequently communicating user data, associated with the established SDUP data session, with the UPF via a serving node in the RAN.

Abstract: A method for avoiding unnecessary actions in a connection establishment comprises sending a request to a network node to initiate the connection establishment, upon sending the request to the network node, starting a timer for the connection establishment, wherein an expiration of the timer stops the connection establishment for a user equipment (UE), and stopping the timer to stop the connection establishment upon the UE receiving a suspend message or a release message, or upon the UE performing a cell reselection procedure while the timer is running. The timer may prevent the UE from waiting the connection establishment to be completed if there is an error or bad transmission in the connection establishment. Furthermore, the timer to stop the connection establishment may avoid unnecessary actions and inform other layers in the network when the timer expires to stop the connection establishment.

Abstract: Methods are provided for a User Equipment, UE, in NR RRC to revert back to an old security context if an RRC Resume procedure from an inactive state fails. In this way, any subsequent Resume attempts by the UE will derive new security keys from the old keys, which means that the keys and security context will be the same for each attempt. In this way, the security context in the UE will remain synchronized with the network security context, regardless of how many attempts the UE has performed (assuming the network does not change the security context when the Resume procedure fails). Alternatively, the UE may store the new security context it derives during the first Resume attempt, and then ensure that it is reused at subsequent Resume attempts.

Abstract: A user equipment is configured to receive, from a source radio access network, RAN, node with which the user equipment has a connection, a message indicating that the connection is to be suspended and indicating a resume identifier usable by the user equipment to resume the connection after the connection is suspended. While the connection is suspended, the user equipment is configured to transmit to a target RAN node a request to resume the connection. The request includes the resume identifier. The user equipment is also configured to transmit to the target RAN an indication of a public land mobile network, PLMN, with which the resume identifier is associated. Alternatively or additionally, the user equipment is configured to receive a paging message that includes the resume identifier and that indicates the PLMN associated with the resume identifier.

Abstract: A technique for controlling a cluster of radio access nodes for radio communication with a user equipment is described. As to a method (200) aspect of the technique, information is received (202) from at least one of the user equipment and the radio access nodes, wherein the information is the cluster indicative of a radio quality (904-908) of the radio communication. Based on the received information, a number of radio access nodes that redundantly communicate with the user equipment is changed (204).

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method in a wireless device for transmitting an uplink signalling message in a wireless communication network. The wireless device is connected to a first network element over at least a first and a second wireless link. The method comprises determining a transmission mode among alternative transmission modes for transmitting the uplink signalling message. The alternative transmission modes comprise: transmitting on the first wireless link; transmitting on the second wireless link; and transmitting on both the first and the second wireless links. The method also comprises transmitting the uplink signalling message according to the determined transmission mode. The disclosure also relates to a corresponding method performed in the network element, and to the corresponding apparatus.

Abstract: New Radio (NR) RRC includes an RRC_INACTIVE state, which introduces ambiguities in the network's knowledge of UE behavior. A mechanism is introduced for handling parameters received when a UE enters RRC_INACTIVE upon the UE attempting to resume an RRC connection and, as a response, receiving a Release or Suspend message. The timer associated to the mobilityControlInfo (equivalent to T320) is stopped and associated parameters discarded upon receiving RRC Release or Suspend. Information received in a Release or Suspend message is discarded upon receiving RRC Release or RRC Suspend.