Abstract: Certain embodiments disclose systems, methods, and apparatus for establishing and using multiple Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) associations. An example method includes a network node establishing a first SCTP association and a second SCTP association for an application protocol connection with a core network node. The network node moves a user equipment (UE) associated signaling stream from the first SCTP association to the second SCTP association.

Abstract: A network assistance node (300), a wireless device (302), a network node (304), an opposite node (306) and methods therein, for handling communication of data between the wireless device and the opposite node over a radio bearer in a cell. When detecting (3:2) that a potential data class is requested which tolerates a certain delay for delivering the data, the network assistance node obtains (3:5) from the network node availability of a potential data bearer dedicated for the potential data class, which availability is dependent on whether a cost related parameter associated with the wireless device fulfils a threshold condition. The network assistance node then reports (3.6) availability of the potential data class to the wireless device and the opposite node, indicating that the potential data bearer is available for data of the potential data class.

Abstract: A method of provisioning a communication service instance to a customer. The method performed at a network slice management function, NSMF, comprises receiving from a communications service management function, CSMF, a first message requesting an operation on at least one network slice instance, NSI. The first message comprises attributes and their values defining at least one service profile. The method further comprises sending to a network slice subnet management function, NSSMF, a second message requesting an operation on at least one network slice subnet instance, NSSI. The second message comprises attributes and their values defining at least one slice profile, wherein the at least one slice profile is based on attributes and their values defining profiles of at least one customer facing service, CFS, and at least one resource facing service, RFS, associated with said at least one customer facing service, CFS.

Abstract: A wireless device, a network node, a core node and methods for handling radio communication of data between the wireless device and the network node in a wireless network. The network node transmits system information related to availability of a potential data bearer dedicated for data tolerating a certain delivery delay, which is received by the wireless device in idle or inactive mode. The wireless device determines whether the potential data bearer is available, based on the system information. When available, the wireless device initiates a transition from idle/inactive mode to connected mode and communicates the data over the potential data bearer. When the potential data bearer is unavailable, the wireless device stays in the idle/inactive mode. When the data is downlink data, the core node sends a paging message indicating a potential data class.

Abstract: A method performed by a network node to change a transport path for a user plane session in a radio communications network. The path prolongs along a first part between an antenna endpoint of a network node and a Packet Processing Function (PPF) instance serving the network node and a second part between the PPF instance and a Core Network (CN) endpoint. The network node identifies available CN endpoints in a CN, available PPF instances in a Radio Access Network (RAN) and of available antenna endpoints in the RAN that are available for the user plane session and comprises a number of possible transport paths for the user plane session. When detecting a change event related to the user plane session, the network node controls whether or not to change the transport path to any of the a number of possible transport paths for the user plane session.

Abstract: A method performed by a network node to change a transport path for a user plane session in a radio communications network. The path prolongs along a first part between an antenna endpoint of a network node and a Packet Processing Function (PPF) instance serving the network node and a second part between the PPF instance and a Core Network (CN) endpoint. The network node identifies available CN endpoints in a CN, available PPF instances in a Radio Access Network (RAN) and of available antenna endpoints in the RAN that are available for the user plane session and comprises a number of possible transport paths for the user plane session. When detecting a change event related to the user plane session, the network node controls whether or not to change the transport path to any of the a number of possible transport paths for the user plane session.

Abstract: A wireless device, a network node, a core node and methods therein, for managing reachability of the wireless device. The wireless device starts an AS (Access Stratum) reachable timer when entering an inactive state. If the AS reachable timer expires while still in the inactive state, the wireless device sends to the network node a reachable notification indicating that the wireless device is reachable. If entering a connected state before the AS reachable timer expires, the wireless device stops the AS reachable timer when changing from the inactive state to a connected state. If the core node receives from the network node a not reachable notification indicating that the wireless device is not reachable, the wireless device can be marked as not reachable via paging.

Abstract: A wireless device, a network node, a core node and methods therein, for managing reachability of the wireless device. The wireless device starts an AS (Access Stratum) reachable timer when entering an inactive state. If the AS reachable timer expires while still in the inactive state, the wireless device sends to the network node a reachable notification indicating that the wireless device is reachable. If entering a connected state before the AS reachable timer expires, the wireless device stops the AS reachable timer when changing from the inactive state to a connected state. If the core node receives from the network node a not reachable notification indicating that the wireless device is not reachable, the wireless device can be marked as not reachable via paging.

Abstract: A method performed by a method performed by a core network node for obtaining a decision of a Core Network, CN/Radio Access Network, RAN, endpoint pair for a user plane session between a RAN and a CN in a radio communications network is provided. The RAN comprises multiple RAN transport endpoints, RAN endpoints, and the CN comprises multiple CN transport endpoints, CN endpoints. The core network node obtains (1101) identifiers of available CN endpoints in the CN, and obtains (1102) identifiers of available RAN endpoints in the RAN. The available CN endpoints and available RAN endpoints comprises a number of possible transport endpoint pairs between the RAN and the CN, CN/RAN endpoint pairs. The core network node further obtains (1103) characteristics of a respective transport path of the number of possible CN/RAN endpoint pairs.

Abstract: A wireless device, a network node, a core node and methods for handling radio communication of data between the wireless device and the network node in a wireless network. The network node transmits system information related to availability of a potential data bearer dedicated for data tolerating a certain delivery delay, which is received by the wireless device in idle or inactive mode. The wireless device determines whether the potential data bearer is available, based on the system information. When available, the wireless device initiates a transition from idle/inactive mode to connected mode and communicates the data over the potential data bearer. When the potential data bearer is unavailable, the wireless device stays in the idle/inactive mode. When the data is downlink data, the core node sends a paging message indicating a potential data class.

Abstract: Certain embodiments disclose systems, methods, and apparatus for establishing and using multiple Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) associations. An example method includes a network node establishing a first SCTP association and a second SCTP association for an application protocol connection with a core network node. The network node moves a user equipment (UE) associated signaling stream from the first SCTP association to the second SCTP association.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to a method performed by a radio network node of a communication network. The communication network comprises a first set of functionalities belonging to a first network slice of a first core network node, and a second set of functionalities belonging to a second network slice of a second core network node or the first core network node. The radio network node obtains paging identities comprising first and second paging identities of a wireless device; receives a paging indication for the wireless device from the second network slice; initiates a matching process for matching the second paging identity in the paging indication to the paging identities for locating context of the wireless device; and pages, upon a match of the matching process, the wireless device, for communication with the second network slice, using the context.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to a method performed by a wireless device, for handling a mobility procedure in a communication network. The communication network comprises a first network and a second network. The first network is associated with a core network node and a first RAN node. The second network is associated with a second RAN node. The first RAN node and the second RAN node each support a set of cells. The first and the second network comprise partitioned sets of functionalities, wherein a first set of functionalities belongs to a first network slice supporting the wireless device. The wireless device is associated with the first network and the first network slice in a first cell of the first RAN node. The network slices and corresponding network slice identities are uncoordinated between the first and the second network. The wireless device receives, from the core network node, a message comprising an indication of combinations of networks and network slices equivalent to the first network slice.

Abstract: Certain embodiments disclose a method for use in a first network node. The method comprises establishing a first Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) association and a second SCTP association for an S1 Application Protocol (S1AP) connection between the first network node and a second network node.

Abstract: Systems and/or methods of receiving communications at a receiving node that communicates with a transmitting node over a first communication channel and a second communication channel are disclosed. The method includes receiving, at the receiving node, a request-to-send message from the transmitting node over the first communication channel, the request-to-send message indicating that the transmitting node has data to be transmitted to the receiving node over the second communication channel, determining at the receiving node whether the second communication channel is available for reception of the data, in response to determining that the second communication channel is available for reception of the data, reserving the second communication channel for use by the transmitting node, and receiving the data from the transmitting node over the second communication channel.

Abstract: A method, performed by a RAN node, for enabling connection setup for a wireless device in a communication network comprising a first network which is a home network of the wireless device and a second network which is visited by the wireless device. The networks each comprise partitioned sets of functionalities, which sets of functionalities each belong to a network slice of the network, wherein a first set of functionalities in the first network belongs to a first network slice supporting the wireless device. The RAN node receives a first network identity for the home network, an identity of the first network slice supporting the wireless device in the home network and a second network identity for the second network, from the wireless device, to retrieve an identity of a second network slice capable of supporting the wireless device in the second network to determine a second core network node.

Abstract: Methods are performed by a first radio node for handling mobility of a wireless device in a communication network having partitioned sets of functionalities. Each set of functionalities belongs to a network slice and is separated from other sets of functionalities out of a total set of functionalities. The first radio node transmits information indicating one or more slice identities supported by the first radio node to a second radio node. The first radio node receives information indicating one or more slice identities supported by the second radio node from the second radio node. The first radio node obtains a support indication indicating the slice ID the wireless device supports, during a connection setup of the wireless device to the network slice. The first radio node initiates a mobility procedure towards the second radio node taking the information in the received response message and the obtained support indication into account.

Abstract: Systems and/or methods of receiving communications at a receiving node that communicates with a transmitting node over a first communication channel and a second communication channel are disclosed. The method includes receiving, at the receiving node, a request-to-send message from the transmitting node over the first communication channel, the request-to-send message indicating that the transmitting node has data to be transmitted to the receiving node over the second communication channel, determining at the receiving node whether the second communication channel is available for reception of the data, in response to determining that the second communication channel is available for reception of the data, reserving the second communication channel for use by the transmitting node, and receiving the data from the transmitting node over the second communication channel.

Abstract: A network assistance node (300), a wireless device (302), a network node (304), an opposite node (306) and methods therein, for handling communication of data between the wireless device and the opposite node over a radio bearer in a cell. When detecting (3:2) that a potential data class is requested which tolerates a certain delay for delivering the data, the network assistance node obtains (3:5) from the network node availability of a potential data bearer dedicated for the potential data class, which availability is dependent on whether a cost related parameter associated with the wireless device fulfils a threshold condition. The network assistance node then reports (3.6) availability of the potential data class to the wireless device and the opposite node, indicating that the potential data bearer is available for data of the potential data class.

Abstract: A first network is associated with a core network node. The first network is associated with a set of RAN nodes, each RAN node supporting a set of cells. The first network comprises partitioned sets of functionalities, wherein a first set of functionalities belongs to a first network slice supporting the wireless device. The first set of functionalities is separated from another set of functionalities out of a total set of functionalities in the first network. When handling a mobility procedure in a communication network, the wireless device receives a message comprising an indication of one or more network slices supported by each cell of the RAN nodes from a network node and selects a cell for camping on, based on the indication received from the network node, wherein the indication indicates that the cell supports the first slice associated with the wireless device.