Abstract: A method of controlling performance of a wireless device is performed by a node that is in electronic communication with a cellular network. The node includes a processor, a non-transitory memory, and a network interface. The method includes receiving a performance value characterizing a performance of a communication channel between a wireless device and a wireless access point. In some implementations, the wireless device and the cellular network are associated with different radio access technologies (RATs). The method includes determining whether the performance value breaches a performance criterion for the wireless device. The method includes adjusting a first amount of data transmitted to the wireless device from a base station of the cellular network and a second amount of data transmitted to the wireless device from the wireless access point. In some implementations, the combined first and second amounts of data satisfy the performance criterion for the wireless device.

Abstract: A method for improving performance in a residential/community WiFi network is implemented on a self-optimizing network (SON) server and includes: receiving current configuration details and local performance statistics from SON clients installed in access points (APs) in the residential/community WiFi networks, where at least one of the APs is a residential AP configured to provide WiFi connectivity to both authorized users of the residential AP and a community of WiFi users not associated with the residential AP, analyzing at least the current configuration details and local performance statistics to identify performance issues in the residential/community WiFi network, determining remedial actions based on the analyzing, and instructing the access points to perform the remedial actions via the SON clients.

Abstract: In various implementations, a method includes receiving a request to establish an end-to-end encrypted session between a device in an enterprise network and an external entity that is outside the enterprise network. In some implementations, the end-to-end encrypted session allows encrypted packets to be transmitted between the device and the external entity. In various implementations, the method includes determining whether the request satisfies an enterprise security criterion for establishing the end-to-end encryption session. In various implementations, the method includes in response to determining that the request satisfies the enterprise security criterion, triggering the establishment of the end-to-end encrypted session between the device in the enterprise network and the external entity that is outside the enterprise entity.

Abstract: An example method is provided in one example embodiment and may include subscribing to a key distribution service by a plurality of Wi-Fi access points belonging to a same mobility domain; receiving a request from a user equipment to connect to a first Wi-Fi access point of the plurality of Wi-Fi access points belonging to the same mobility domain; determining one or more second Wi-Fi access points of the plurality of Wi-Fi access points belonging to the same mobility domain that neighbor the first Wi-Fi access points; and distributing keying parameters to each of the one or more second Wi-Fi access points. The keying parameters can be associated with 802.11r pairwise master key (PMK) keying parameters.

Abstract: An example method is provided in one example embodiment and may include receiving, at a packet data network gateway (PGW), a packet associated with an Internet Protocol (IP) flow of a user equipment (UE); identifying a routing rule associated with the IP flow, wherein the routing rule comprises routing access information that identifies whether the IP flow can be routed across a plurality of access networks using weighted link aggregation; and selecting a particular access network to facilitate communications for the IP flow of the UE based on the routing rule. In some cases, the selecting can include assigning the IP flow of the UE to a bearer established for the UE for the particular access network.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for supporting multiple access point names for trusted wireless local area network (LAN.) In one method, the method includes receiving a packet at a mobile access gateway from a UE operating in a trusted wireless LAN, determining at the mobile access gateway an access point name (APN) associated with the received packet, and analyzing a binding update list (BUL) table to identify an IP address of the UE used by the determined APN. The method further includes modifying a source IP address of the received packet to the IP address of the UE used by the determined APN, and transmitting the packet to a home network associated with the APN.

Abstract: An example method is provided in one example embodiment and may include determining a presence of user equipment (UE) in relation to small cell radio(s) of a small cell network based on information obtained through the small cell network and one or more parallel networks; and adjusting transmit power for the small cell radio(s) based on the presence of UE in relation to the small cell radio(s). Another example method can include determining that a UE in cell paging channel mode has changed its selected macro cell radio; determining that the UE is allowed service on a small cell radio located in a vicinity of a macro cell coverage area of a selected macro cell radio; and adjusting a transmit power of the small cell radio based on a presence of the UE in a surrounding macro cell coverage area of the small cell radio.

Abstract: An example method is provided in one example embodiment and may include determining a first routing metric associated with a first communication network, wherein the first routing metric identifies a capability of the first communication network to handle an Internet Protocol (IP) flow for a user equipment (UE); determining a second routing metric associated with a second communication network, wherein the second routing metric identifies a capability of the second communication network to handle the IP flow for the UE and wherein the second routing metric is different from the first routing metric; and routing the IP flow for the UE using the first communication network or the second communication network based, at least in part, on the first routing metric and the second routing metric.

Abstract: An example method is provided in one example embodiment and may include requesting, by a user equipment (UE), a profile associated with a subscriber that provides information to facilitate automatic association of the UE with one or more access points of a wireless network, wherein the requesting includes requesting the profile using a Generic Advertisement Service (GAS) Initial Request frame; and sending the profile to the UE using a GAS Initial Response frame. The method can include configuring a Vendor Specific Information Element (VSIE) within an Advertisement Protocol Identifier for the GAS Initial Request frame and configuring the VSIE to indicate an Access Network Query Protocol (ANQP) query for the profile. The method can also include configuring another VSIE within an Advertisement Protocol Identifier for the GAS Initial Response frame and configuring the VSIE to indicate an ANQP query response including the profile.

Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for detecting establishment of a bearer associated with a communication session offloaded from a mobile carrier network to a wireless local area network, such as a Wi-Fi® network, and sending, from the mobile carrier network to the wireless local area network, an indication of a level of quality of service (QoS) to be applied to a segment of the communication session that is conveyed by the wireless local area network. The indication of the level of QoS may be passed via a network controller.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and may include configuring a slice identity for each of a plurality of virtual radio access network (vRAN) slices, wherein each vRAN slice comprises functionality to perform, at least in part, one or more radio protocol operations on subscriber traffic; configuring an allotment of radio resources that can be utilized by each vRAN slice of the plurality of vRAN slices; receiving, by a slice manager, a subscriber profile identity (SPID) for a subscriber; and mapping the SPID for the subscriber to a particular vRAN slice of the plurality of vRAN slices. The method can further include communicating the mapping for the subscriber to the particular vRAN slice to which the SPID is mapped. The method can further include communicating the allotment of radio resources that can be utilized by the particular vRAN slice to the particular vRAN slice.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing load based optimizations in communication networks are provided. A network device that provides network management and exchanges control messages with other network devices in the communication network can be modified to masquerade as a radio access transceiver to obtain radio access transceiver load information. The network device can be modified to include a radio-related interface and can communicate messages with the radio access transceivers to setup a radio access transceiver connection for exchange of load information. The radio access transceiver load information can then be used in the core network to provide optimizations for the loaded radio access transceivers. The optimizations can include modifying packet flows to decrease the bandwidth needed and switching one or more packet flows to another radio access transceiver.

Abstract: In one example, an apparatus is provided that includes a processor configured to receive, in a first wireless network, an identifier of a base station in a second wireless network, and to determine an identity of a first device in the second wireless network. The apparatus is configured to transmit the identifier of the base station to the second wireless network.

Abstract: An example method is provided in one example embodiment and may include receiving a request from a user equipment (UE) to access a wireless access network, wherein the UE is currently accessing one or more other wireless networks; determining by a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) whether a subscriber associated with the UE is authorized to access the wireless access network based, at least in part, on a profile for the subscriber; and communicating one of a wireless access rejection and a wireless access acceptance to the UE based on the determination. In some instances, the determining can include recovering the profile for the subscriber associated with the UE from a Subscriber Profile Repository (SPR) using an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) for the subscriber.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and may include monitoring, by a radio access network (RAN) orchestration function, impairments between a plurality of candidate locations interconnected by a transport network, wherein one or more network elements capable of performing one or more operations associated with a RAN are located at the plurality of candidate locations; determining a decomposition of one or more operations associated with the RAN into a plurality of sets of virtualized network functions (VNFs) to execute the operations; determining a distribution of the plurality of sets of VNFs among the one or more network elements associated with the RAN for one or more optimal locations of the plurality of candidate locations based, at least in part, on the monitored impairments; and instantiating the plurality of sets of VNFs at each of the one or more optimal locations.

Abstract: An example method is provided in one example embodiment and may include subscribing to a key distribution service by a plurality of Wi-Fi access points belonging to a same mobility domain; receiving a request from a user equipment to connect to a first Wi-Fi access point of the plurality of Wi-Fi access points belonging to the same mobility domain; determining one or more second Wi-Fi access points of the plurality of Wi-Fi access points belonging to the same mobility domain that neighbor the first Wi-Fi access points; and distributing keying parameters to each of the one or more second Wi-Fi access points. The keying parameters can be associated with 802.11r pairwise master key (PMK) keying parameters.

Abstract: Systems and methods for small cell idle mode mobility include receiving, at a first small cell of a preconfigured cluster of small cells, a mobility area update request from a user equipment (UE). The method can also include registering location information of the UE with a small cell gateway, and retrieving a core network periodic timer for the UE from a mobility server. If certain conditions are met, the first small cell forwards the mobility area update request to a core network via the small cell gateway. Otherwise, the method can include the first small cell updating the location information of the UE with the mobility server, generating a locally-generated mobility area update accept message, and sending a locally generated mobility area update accept message to the UE along with a local periodic timer instructing the UE to send another mobility area update request when the local periodic timer expires.

Abstract: An example method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving a request to relocate a user equipment (UE) from a source macro radio to an ambiguous small cell access point (AP), wherein the request includes a target cell identity (ID) encoded with a source macro cell identifier for the source macro radio and a target sub-carrier identifier for the ambiguous small cell AP; determining potential target small cell APs for relocation of the first UE using the using the first target cell ID, wherein each of the potential target small cell APs are within a coverage area of the source macro radio and operate using the target sub-carrier identifier; and preparing, for each of the potential target small cell APs, a common channel to receive relocation of the first UE. The first UE can relocate to a particular target small cell access point using the common channel.

Abstract: Systems and methods for small cell idle mode mobility include receiving, at a first small cell of a preconfigured cluster of small cells, a mobility area update request from a user equipment (UE). The method can also include registering location information of the UE with a small cell gateway, and retrieving a core network periodic timer for the UE from a mobility server. If certain conditions are met, the first small cell forwards the mobility area update request to a core network via the small cell gateway. Otherwise, the method can include the first small cell updating the location information of the UE with the mobility server, generating a locally-generated mobility area update accept message, and sending a locally generated mobility area update accept message to the UE along with a local periodic timer instructing the UE to send another mobility area update request when the local periodic timer expires.

Abstract: A serving gateway updates location information for a mobile device based on information in an update bearer request. The serving gateway receives a first update bearer request for a mobile device. The first update bearer request includes a first address associated with a micro cellular service base station to which the mobile device is in communication. The micro cellular service base station is associated with a physical location. The serving gateway sends a location notification to a location server, indicating that the mobile device is physically near the micro cellular service base station. The serving gateway receives a second update bearer request for the mobile device including an address associated with a macro cellular service base station. The serving gateway sends another location notification to the location server indicating that the mobile device is no longer at the physical location of the micro cellular service base station.