Abstract: The present invention faces identifying resource allocation results when resource request and modifications occur in fast succession, and provides for associating at an AF each media component description transmitted to a PCRF with a media component instance identifier, associating at the PCRF each media component instance identifier with rule instance identifiers for control rules determined for each media component description, and associating at a PCEF each rule instance identifier with a control rule and with a bearer for which the control rule is to be installed or modified.

Abstract: The present invention faces identifying resource allocation results when resource request and modifications occur in fast succession, and provides for associating at an AF each media component description transmitted to a PCRF with a media component instance identifier, associating at the PCRF each media component instance identifier with rule instance identifiers for control rules determined for each media component description, and associating at a PCEF each rule instance identifier with a control rule and with a bearer for which the control rule is to be installed or modified.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method, by a policy controller 100, for generating policy rules for data packet flows in a communications network. The policy controller 100 has access to a policy database 130 and stores a service level agreement. The service level agreement contains a plurality of different service level identifiers, each service level identifier being associated with a set of conditions that govern the policy rules to be applied to the data packet flows in the communications network. The method comprises the following steps: An authorization request is received for a data packet flow, the authorization request comprising service information for a service and a service level identifier. The policy database 130 is accessed and the set of conditions associated with the received service level identifier is determined. Further, based on the determined set of conditions, a policy rule to be applied to the data packet flow is generated.

Abstract: An apparatus for user plane function, UPF, allocation is described. The UPF is configured to provide a Protocol Data Unit, PDU, connectivity service between a terminal device and a data network on a user plane, and the allocation is based on control information associated with an individual logical PDU entity. The control information defines priority information indicative of a priority of the PDU entity relative to other PDU entities and pre-emption information indicative of at least one of whether the PDU entity is capable of being pre-emptively allocated to a UPF over other PDU entities served by that UPF, and whether the PDU entity when served by a UPF is vulnerable to being re-allocated for pre-emptively allocating other PDU entities to that UPF.

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 invention faces identifying resource allocation results when resource request and modifications occur in fast succession, and provides for associating at an AF each media component description transmitted to a PCRF with a media component instance identifier, associating at the PCRF each media component instance identifier with rule instance identifiers for control rules determined for each media component description, and associating at a PCEF each rule instance identifier with a control rule and with a bearer for which the control rule is to be installed or modified.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for updating policy and charging rules relating to early dialogs in session initiation protocol forking in a telecommunications network. A node comprises a receiver (304), configured to receive a plurality of preliminary responses originating from a plurality of terminating end points as part of Session Initiation Protocol, SIP, forking. The node comprises an early dialog controller (314), configured, for each received preliminary response, to determine a unique identifier and to control a transmitting means, which may be a transmitter (302), to transmit a corresponding preliminary message comprising the unique identifier to a further node (400) for use as a Policy and Charging Rules Function, PCRF (200), for creating an early dialog by the further node. The receiver is further configured to receive updated data for at least one of the preliminary responses.

Abstract: In network sharing deployments, a policy control rules server ignores the used radio access network, RAN, and cannot apply RAN-related policies. This specification provides for a system and method for notifying the policy control rules server of a shared RAN used to connect a UE with a serving core network.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method, by a policy controller 100, for generating policy rules for data packet flows in a communications network. The policy controller 100 has access to a policy database 130 and stores a service level agreement. The service level agreement contains a plurality of different service level identifiers, each service level identifier being associated with a set of conditions that govern the policy rules to be applied to the data packet flows in the communications network. The method comprises the following steps: An authorization request is received for a data packet flow, the authorization request comprising service information for a service and a service level identifier. The policy database 130 is accessed and the set of conditions associated with the received service level identifier is determined. Further, based on the determined set of conditions, a policy rule to be applied to the data packet flow is generated.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for updating policy and charging rules relating to early dialogs in session initiation protocol forking in a telecommunications network. A node comprises a receiver (304), configured to receive a plurality of preliminary responses originating from a plurality of terminating end points as part of Session Initiation Protocol, SIP, forking. The node comprises an early dialog controller (314), configured, for each received preliminary response, to determine a unique identifier and to control a transmitting means, which may be a transmitter (302), to transmit a corresponding preliminary message comprising the unique identifier to a further node (400) for use as a Policy and Charging Rules Function, PCRF (200), for creating an early dialog by the further node. The receiver is further configured to receive updated data for at least one of the preliminary responses.

Abstract: At present, applying conventional policy and charging control in scenarios where a huge amount of users is supported, such as machine-to-machine type communication devices, represents a number of drawbacks, such as the amount of data to be stored in subscriber databases and the access rate, the signalling load, and the processing performance of nodes. The present invention provides for a method of policy control and enhanced apparatuses enabling the support of user community profiles that apply to a plurality of subscribers, the generation and enforcement of community policy and charging rules derived from the user community profiles and preferably installed upon establishment of a session for a first user. Further sessions to be established for subsequent users of the plurality of users would be enforced with said community policy and charging rules without needs for handling them on individual basis.

Abstract: At present, applying conventional policy and charging control in scenarios where a huge amount of users is supported, such as machine-to-machine type communication devices, represents a number of drawbacks, such as the amount of data to be stored in subscriber databases and the access rate, the signalling load, and the processing performance of nodes. The present invention provides for a method of policy control and enhanced apparatuses enabling the support of user community profiles that apply to a plurality of subscribers, the generation and enforcement of community policy and charging rules derived from the user community profiles and preferably installed upon establishment of a session for a first user. Further sessions to be established for subsequent users of the plurality of users would be enforced with said community policy and charging rules without needs for handling them on individual basis.