Abstract: Methods, computer program products, and apparatuses are provided for enabling a user equipment (UE) to connect to the wireless access network that support non-seamless wireless local area network (WLAN) offload (NSWO), such as using the UE's fifth generation (5G) credentials. An apparatus may include a processor and a memory storing computer program code configured to cause the apparatus to request, by the UE, a wireless connection to a network entity; receive, by the UE, from the network entity, an identity request; and in response to the identity request, cause transmission, by the UE, an identity response including a UE identifier to the network entity such that the UE is configured to establish a security context with the network entity upon successful authentication using the UE identifier.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention is a method for support of Circuit Switched (CS) fallback in an Evolved Packet System (EPS), said support including moving a User Equipment (UE) from an evolved Radio Access Network (RAN) to a legacy RAN for access to CS domain services, and moving back said UE from said legacy RAN to said evolved RAN at termination of said CS domain services, said support including moving back said UE to said evolved RAN in the Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) that was serving said UE over said evolved RAN before moving said UE to said legacy RAN.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software for inter-PLMN communications. In one embodiment, a roaming hub receives a message from a sending entity across an N32 interface, and determines whether the message includes an HTTP custom header that indicates a PLMN that is validated. When the message as received does not include the HTTP custom header, the roaming hub adds the HTTP custom header to the message that indicates the PLMN of the sending entity, integrity protects the HTTP custom header, and forwards the message toward a receiving entity.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for supporting network functions. In some example embodiments, there may be provided a method that includes selecting, by a network node, a network function instance and/or a group of network function instances, the selecting based on information indicating membership of the network function instance in the group of network functions instances and the information including session information for a request associated with a session of a user equipment, the session information indicating whether the network function instance and/or the group of network function instances is assigned to the user equipment; and forwarding, by the network node, the request to the selected network function instance and/or the selected group. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also described.

Abstract: There is provided a method, apparatus and computer program product for causing a network repository function to perform: receiving, from a network function service consumer, an access request for an access authorization token, the request comprising a first identification of the network function service consumer and a first identification of at least one network slice on which access is requested; generating an access token in response to the request, the access token comprising at least one network slice identifier for the at least one network slice identified by the first identification; and providing the generated access token to the network function in response to the request for an access authorization token.

Abstract: This specification describes apparatus comprising means for sending, from a first network function service consumer instance to an authorisation server, a request for an access token for use in accessing a service provided by a network function service producer, wherein the request includes an identifier of a set of network function service consumer instances of which the first network function service consumer instance is a member; receiving, at the first network function service consumer instance from the authorisation server, an access token for use in accessing the service provided by the network function service producer, wherein the access token includes the identifier of the set of network function service consumer instances of which the first network function service consumer instance is a member; and sending, from the first network function service consumer instance to the network function service producer, a request to access the service provided by the network function service producer, wherein the

Abstract: Techniques for determining a registration area are provided. A network entity may receive one or more indications of topology information from one or more radio access network nodes. Each indication of topology information is related to one or more tracking areas and each tracking area is associated with one or more cells in a radio access network served by each of the one or more radio access network nodes. The network entity may determine a registration area based at least in part on the received one or more indications of topology information related to the one or more tracking areas.

Abstract: The apparatus includes a processor configured to send, over a 3rd Generation Partnership project (3GPP) access, a notifying message regarding non-3GPP access to a user equipment, the user equipment being simultaneously registered to the communication network via the 3GPP access and via the non-3GPP access, the user equipment being in a connection management-idle state over the non-3GPP access. The method includes sending over a 3rd Generation Partnership project (3GPP) access a notifying message regarding non-3GPP access to a user equipment, the user equipment being simultaneously registered to a communication network via the 3GPP access and via the non-3GPP access, the user equipment being in a connection management-idle state over the non-3GPP access.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for edge services are disclosed. A network function entity receives from an application function entity a request relating to a data communication session, and can then determine, in response to the request, information of at least one local network exposure function entity for the application function entity. The application function entity is provided with the information of the at least one local network exposure function entity. The information can be used in connecting with a local network exposure function entity. The local network exposure function entity can then be used for the data communication session.

Abstract: Techniques for enforcing packet detection rules within communication systems are provided. A network entity may configure a user plane function to detect whether a domain name system request sent by a user equipment satisfies one or more packet detection rules. The network entity may receive, from a user plane function, a report that a domain name system request sent by the user equipment has been detected as non-compliant with instructions sent to the user equipment. The network entity may cause one or more corrective actions relating to traffic offloading.

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: A method comprises receiving information at a first network entity indicating a first data network identity associated with a request from a communications device; and selecting at the first network entity a second data network identity which is usable with respect to the communications device when said first data network identity is not usable with respect to said communications device, said selecting being in dependence on information associated with said communications device.

Abstract: Techniques for securing an identifier of user equipment for a request external to a communication network are disclosed. For example, a method comprises receiving, at a network entity, a request for identification information for user equipment from an entity external to a communication network to which the network entity belongs. The network entity generates a secure identifier for the user equipment, wherein the secure identifier comprises an encrypted form of a public subscription identifier associated with the user equipment. The network entity sends the secure identifier to the external entity. The network entity receives the secure identifier in a subsequent request from the external entity. The network entity utilizes the received secure identifier to confirm the received secure identifier corresponds to the user equipment.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a method, device and computer readable medium for coordination between wireline and wireless policy controllers. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the service controller is able to coordinate between information about a wireless subscription for mapping from a traffic multiplexer used in a wireline access to a wireless data session selector and information sent to a wireline Residential Gateway device about mapping application traffic to a traffic multiplexer used in a wireline access.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software of directly connecting a SIM-less device with a cellular network. In one embodiment, User Equipment (UE) includes a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) provisioned with a plurality of subscription profiles for subscriptions to the cellular network. The UE establishes a direct communication with a SIM-less device that does not have a subscription with the cellular network. The UE selects one of the subscriptions provisioned in the SIM as a temporary subscription assigned to the SIM-less device to allow the SIM-less device to establish a direct connection with the cellular network using the temporary subscription, and transmits a message to the SIM-less device via the direct communication containing subscription credentials for the temporary subscription. The SIM-less device may therefore register with the cellular network using the subscription credentials provided by the UE, and establish a direct connection with the cellular network using the temporary subscription.

Abstract: Improved techniques for secure access control in communication systems are provided. In one example, in accordance with an authorization server function, a method comprises receiving a request from a service consumer in a communication system for access to a service type and one or more resources associated with the service type. The method determines whether the service consumer is authorized to access the service type and the one or more resources associated with the service type. The method generates an access token that identifies one or more service producers for the service type and the one or more resources associated with the service type that the service consumer is authorized to access, and sends the access token to the service consumer. The service consumer can then use the access token to access the one or more services and one or more resources. In addition to such resource level access authorization, target network function group access authorization can be performed.

Abstract: The apparatus includes a processor configured to send, over a 3rd Generation Partnership project (3GPP) access, a notifying message regarding non-3GPP access to a user equipment, the user equipment being simultaneously registered to the communication network via the 3GPP access and via the non-3GPP access, the user equipment being in a connection management-idle state over the non-3GPP access. The method includes sending over a 3rd Generation Partnership project (3GPP) access a notifying message regarding non-3GPP access to a user equipment, the user equipment being simultaneously registered to a communication network via the 3GPP access and via the non-3GPP access, the user equipment being in a connection management-idle state over the non-3GPP access.

Abstract: There are provided measures for local user plane function control. Such measures exemplarily comprise obtaining access network related information, receiving, from a session management function entity, at least one pre-rule, generating, based on said at least one pre-rule and said access network related information, a first rule of at least one rule related to local traffic offloading, assigning said first rule to a first user plane function entity of at least one user plane function entity under control of said intermediate session management function entity, and transmitting said first rule to said first user plane function entity.

Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus (408). The apparatus comprises means for performing: receiving user plane traffic at the apparatus (408), the user plane traffic intended for a group local area network communication; and determining a target destination address for the user plane traffic; and autonomously handling the received user plane traffic at the apparatus (408) in dependence on the target destination address; and wherein the autonomously handling the received user plane traffic by the apparatus comprises determining whether the destination address is recognised by the apparatus (408); and forwarding the user plane traffic towards all interfaces (424) tagged as network interfaces associated with the group communication, when the destination address is determined to be not recognised by the apparatus (408).

Abstract: Method, device and computer readable medium are disclosed for supporting satellite access. The registration management entity of the network determines information regarding which beam covering the location of the terminal device and the corresponding timing; the terminal device triggers a registration update based on the information determined by the registration management entity. Thus, the method, device and computer readable medium can introduce less modification to the network and have good compatibility.