Abstract: One aspect provides a method performed by a radio access network node in a telecommunications network. The method comprises: responsive to detection of a trigger event associated with a wireless device having a connection to the telecommunications network via the radio access network node or seeking to establish a connection to the telecommunications network via the radio access network node, transmitting, directly to a user plane core network node, a message initiating establishment of a user-plane tunnel for the connection between the radio access network node and the user plane core network node. The message comprises one or more of: an indication of an identifier of the wireless device; and an indication of an identifier of a session for the wireless device, and further comprises an indication of a downlink tunnel endpoint identifier of the radio access network node.

Abstract: A method performed by a Radio Access Network (RAN) node for handling a service request from a User Equipment, UE, in a wireless communications network. The RAN node supports a first network slice in a first Area, A1. The RAN node connects (902) to the UE via A1. The RAN node sends (903) to a Core Network (CN) node, a service request from the UE. The service request relates to one or more network slices that the UE requests in a certain Area. The RAN node receives (904) an indication from the CN node. The indication indicates the one or more network slices requested by the UE together with any one or more out of: —A list of network slices that are allowed to be accessed by the UE in the current A1, and—an indication of a new area priority policy associated to the one or more network slices that are requested by the UE. The RAN node decides (905) how to handle the service request from the UE based on the indication received from the CN node.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to, for example, a method performed by a source radio network node (140), for handling communication in a wireless communications network, wherein the source radio network node is adapted to relay data packets between a first radio network node and a UE in the wireless communications network. The source radio network node (140) transmits to a target radio network node (150,12,15) a message relating to a cell selection and/or a handover for the UE, wherein the message comprises a first user plane indication, and wherein the first user plane indication is an indication of setting up a user plane communication or not for the UE.

Abstract: A method implemented by a first network node is provided. The method comprises: receiving a first multicast session release request from a second network node including an identifier of a multicast broadcast service, MBS, session; selecting terminal devices having joined the MBS session from terminal devices served by the first network node; and transmitting a first multicast session release response to the second network node. The present disclosure may enable NG-RAN to release radio resources at the first time when AF decides to release the multicast session so that the radio resources can be utilized in an efficient way.

Abstract: Methods supporting a Quality of Service (QoS) update during a Handover (HO) procedure are disclosed herein. More specifically, methods performed by a Radio Access Network (RAN) node and a Core Network (CN) node for supporting a QoS update during an HO are provided. The methods disclosed herein can facilitate flexible New Generation (NG)-RAN (NG-RAN) deployment with a mixture of NG-RAN nodes capable or incapable of supporting additional parameters in an HO procedure. The methods also make it possible to provide smooth NG-RAN software updates between different software releases.

Abstract: A method for PDU session management. The method includes receiving, at an Access and Mobility Management function entity (AMF), a registration request message transmitted by a user equipment (UE), wherein the registration request message comprises a list of PDU sessions to be activated; and, in response to receiving the registration request message, the AMF transmitting to a session management function (SMF) a request message for requesting the SMF to activate UP resources for at least one of the PDU sessions identified in the list of PDU sessions.

Abstract: A method performed by a network node (10-1, 10-2) in a communication network (10) is disclosed. The network node (10-1, 10-2) transmits or receives (1100) messages (M) through a tunnel (T) with another network node (10-1, 10-2). In some embodiments, the messages (M) convey user plane traffic (14). In some embodiments, one or more of the messages (M) each include information (16) indicating one or more characteristics of the user plane traffic (14). In some embodiments, the one or more characteristics include a periodicity of the user plane traffic (14) and/or a burst arrival time of the user plane traffic (14).

Abstract: A method, UE, and computer programs are provided where the UE has multiple universal subscriber identity modules. Information is received from a first PLMN indicating there is one of mobile terminating (MT) signaling or data in the first PLMN while the UE is in a second PLMN. Responsive to receiving the information, a service request is sent to an AMF node of the second PLMN. A radio resource control (RRC) connection release is received from a RAN node in response to sending the service request. Responsive to receiving the RRC connection release, the second PLMN is left to be in the first PLMN.

Abstract: A method performed by a first network node for uplink congestion control in a radio network is provided. The first network node is operable to handle one or more first layers of a protocol stack for an uplink connection between a wireless device and the radio network and is communicatively coupled to a second network node handling one or more second, lower layers of the protocol stack. The method comprises obtaining an indication of a proportion of packets within an uplink user plane flow that are to be marked with a congestion indicator, in which the proportion is based on a delay experienced by packets of the uplink user plane flow sent by the wireless device to the second network node. The method further comprises marking the proportion of packets with the congestion indicator and transmitting packets for the uplink user plane flow towards a core network of the radio network.

Abstract: A method performed by a first network node for downlink congestion control in a radio network. The first network node handles one or more first layers of a protocol stack for a downlink connection between the radio network and a wireless device, and is communicatively coupled to a second network node handling one or more second layers of the protocol stack for the downlink connection. The one or more second layers are lower than the one or more first layers. The method comprises: obtaining an indication of a proportion of packets within a downlink user plane flow over the downlink connection that are to be marked with a congestion indicator, wherein the proportion is based on a delay experienced by packets of the downlink user plane flow sent by the second network node to the wireless device; marking the proportion of packets with the congestion indicator; and transmitting packets for the downlink user plane flow to the second network node for onward transmission to the wireless device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for handling a wireless device in a Configuration Management (CM)-Connected state with Radio Resource Control (RRC) Inactive state are provided. In some embodiments, a method for performing a mobility transfer from a Fifth Generation network to an Evolved Packet System (EPS) network includes a 5G network node: receiving, from an EPS network node, a context request for context associated with a User Equipment (UE); determining data forwarding information associated with the UE; and sending, to the EPS network node, a context response comprising context information associated with the UE and data forwarding information associated with the UE. In this way, packet losses will be minimized leading to improved end user performance.

Abstract: A method for notification control in a communication system performed by a core network is presented. The method comprising: establishing a PDU session; enabling a radio access network, RAN, to send a notification that notifying a UE, of the unfulfillment or re-fulfillment of QoS, for a QoS Flow in the PDU session using an AN-signaling based notification. The AN-signaling based notification including the unfulfillment or re-fulfillment of QoS parameters as defined in a QoS Flow description. The AN-signaling based notification further including expected QoS figures, an expected time interval and an accuracy of the notification. The UE/AF may further adapt their behavior according to the expected QoS provided by the AN.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatuses for multicast/broadcast service (MBS). A method performed by a radio access network node comprises receiving a first request from a core network node in a first network. The first request comprises a multicast/broadcast service (MBS) session identifier (ID) and at least one associated session identifier. The at least one associated session ID is used to make an association for two or more broadcast MBS sessions of two or more networks. The method further comprises when a predefined number of user planes have been established for the two or more MBS sessions, skipping establishing a user plane of a first MBS session towards the first network. The method further comprises when the predefined number of user planes have not been established for the two or more MBS sessions, establishing the user plane of the first MBS session towards the first network.

Abstract: Systems and methods for heterogeneous slice deployment within a registration area are provided. In some embodiments, a method performed by a User Equipment (UE) for accessing a network slice includes: during registration with a network node, requesting network slice assistance; receiving network slice assistance from the network node indicating access to a first network slice in a first Tracking Area (TA) but not in an entire Registration Area (RA); and accessing the first network slice in the first TA. Some embodiments enable deploying slices in very small geographical areas to suit special use cases without necessarily having to deploy small RAs. Some of the potentially realizable use cases are in stadiums, factory slices, etc. The ability to deploy small slices within a large RA mitigates problems, such as high registration load, that one might deal with when the RA is too small.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein that relate to actions performed by a Radio Access Network (RAN) when redundancy is not available. In this regard, embodiments of a method performed by a RAN node are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method performed by a RAN node for RAN action when redundancy is not available comprises receiving, from a core network node, a request for a set of User Plane (UP) resources in the RAN. The method further comprises determining whether the request for the set of UP resources in the RAN can be met and sending, to the core network node, a response to the request for the set of UP resources that is based on whether the request for the set of UP resources in the RAN can be met.

Abstract: A method in a target network node and a corresponding network node, for performing secure Mobile Terminated (MT) early data transmission (EDT) is provided. The method may comprise: sending a paging message to the wireless device, which has been suspended from a connection with a second network node, the paging message comprising an early data transmission (EDT) indication; receiving a random access preamble from the wireless device; obtaining context information of the wireless device; and resuming a data connection with the wireless device based on the context information.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate generally to a Control plane, CP, node, a method performed by the CP node, a Radio Access Network, RAN, node and a method performed by the RAN node. More particularly the embodiments herein relate to handling paging.

Abstract: A method to operate a UE for handling security policy for user plane protection of communications in a communications system is provided. The method includes transmitting a packet data unit (PDU) session establishment request network access stratum (NAS) message toward an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) to establish a PDU session. The method further includes receiving an access network (AN) specific resource setup message indicating whether the UE is to activate integrity protection for data radio bearers (DRBs) serving the PDU session.

Abstract: A method performed by a wireless device (12). The method comprises performing, over a first cell (14) associated with a public network, a non-access stratum (NAS) procedure in which the wireless device (12) is authenticated as being authorized to access a non-public network. The method also comprises after performing the NAS procedure, receiving from the first cell (14) a mobility command that commands the wireless device (12) to perform a mobility procedure towards a second cell (16) associated with the non-public network.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to the field of security context setup. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to techniques of supporting security context setup in a wireless communication network. A method embodiment relates to supporting security context setup in a wireless communication network, the method comprising initiating (S304), by a radio access network (RAN) element of the wireless communication network, Access Stratum (AS) security context setup for a first Radio Access Technology (RAT) and a second RAT in a common signaling procedure.