Abstract: Paging update indications for enhanced paging strategy are provided. An apparatus may include at least one processor, and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, may cause the apparatus at least to identify at least one of peer nodes from which paging messages were received for paging actions towards a user equipment. The apparatus may, based on determined radio conditions by the apparatus, be further caused to trigger sending of a notification message including paging recommendation information towards the at least one of identified peer nodes from which the paging messages were received. In a scenario, the determined radio conditions may be due to one or more unsuccessful uplink random access channel transmissions in one or more cells managed by the apparatus.

Abstract: A method comprises receiving network slice information from a core network entity, the network slice information related to a network slice which is not supported in one or more cells of a first tracking area, but which is supported in one or more cells of a second tracking area. The method further comprises triggering a procedure at a user equipment to access said network slice based on said network slice information when said user equipment is in one or more cells of the first tracking area.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, method, and non-transitory computer readable medium for reducing and/or optimizing signaling messages between a radio access network (RAN) node and a core network based on an operation mode of the RAN node may include a core network server including: a memory storing computer readable instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the computer readable instructions to establish a control plane connection with at least one radio access network (RAN) node, the at least one RAN node supporting at least a first connection mode and a second connection mode, determine a connection mode of the at least one RAN node, and restrict transmission of at least one signaling message to the at least one RAN node based on results of the determining the connection mode of the at least one RAN node.

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: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for determining random access channel (RACH) resources or parameters based on network slice-based resource allocation classes (RACs) may be provided. A mapping between network slices and a set of RACs may be determined by a core network (CN). The CN may send this mapping to the UE. The UE may select RACH resources or parameters for a network slice. The radio access network (RAN) may determine a mapping between the RACs and the RACH resources or parameters. The UE may determine the corresponding RACH resources or parameters to be used for a RAC.

Abstract: An apparatus in a source radio access node comprises means for receiving first information for determining a last packet to be forwarded to a target radio access node to which a communications device is being handed over from the source radio access node, said source radio access node providing a multicast or broadcasting service to the communications device. The means may be for causing the last packet to be forwarded from the source radio access node to the target radio access node with end information indicating that there no further packets are being forwarded.

Abstract: Network devices and a method for providing a session management function (SMF)-centric multicast and broadcast services (MBS) activation using group paging may include a SMF network device which is caused to receive a MBS activate message, the MBS activate message including a MBS session ID, determine a plurality of deactivated UE devices associated with the MBS session ID, the plurality of deactivated UE devices including idle UE devices, determine at least one AMF network device associated with each of the determined plurality of deactivated UE devices, and transmit an AMF MBS activate message to the AMF network device, the AMF MBS activate message including information related to at least one UE device associated with each of the determined at least one AMF network, the AMF MB S activate message causing the at least one AMF network device to trigger a group paging of the UE device.

Abstract: It is provided a method comprising at least one of a) and b): a) monitoring whether a service request to produce a producer service is received and producing the producer service if the service request is received, wherein the producer service is a service produced by the access network; and b) consuming a producer service from a core network or an access network, wherein the producer service is consumed by an access network.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program is described comprising: receiving a first register request from a first node of a mobile communication system at a network repository function of a mobile communication system, wherein the first register request registers parameters or capabilities of the first node in the network repository function to enable the network repository function to provide information relating to said parameters or capabilities to a second node of the mobile communications system, wherein at least one of the first and the second node is an access node of the mobile communication system.

Abstract: Devices, methods and computer programs for small data trans-Client device Control Plane whether an ongoing small data transmission, SDT, transaction comprising one or more uplink, UL, small data transmissions with a control plane network node device is to be terminated. If yes, a radio resource control, RRC, message comprising termination information related to the determined termination of the on-ongoing SDT going SDT transaction is forwarded from the client device to the control plane terminated network node device.

Abstract: A method comprising: receiving information from a Session Management Function; determining, from the information, to transmit to a Radio Access Network node at least one of a message and an information element, the at least one of the message and the information element comprising a sequence number of a last transmitted (or next to be transmitted) user plane Protocol Data Unit carrying a valid user plane payload of a Quality of Service Flow of a Multicast and Broadcast Services multicast session; and transmitting at least one of the message and the information element to the Radio Access Network node while no downlink multicast packet in the Multicast and Broadcast Services multicast session is available for transmission to the Radio access Network node.

Abstract: Techniques of performing multi-shot SDT transactions include determining, by a distributed unit (DU) of a base station gNB) in a wireless network, a condition for terminating of a multi-shot small data transmission (SDT) and provide an indication of the termination to an entity within the wireless network.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for congestion management and service continuity. In some example embodiment, there may be provided a method comprising sending, by a user equipment, an indication of whether the user equipment supports an automatic re-mapping of a network slice to a fallback network slice; and receiving, by the user equipment, an acknowledgment from a network in response to the sent indication. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus, comprising at least one processor, and at least one memory storing instructions, the at least one memory and the instructions configured to, with the at least one processor, cause a target node to signal to an anchor node a first information related to a context relocation of a context of a terminal device.

Abstract: For performing a small data transmission triggered in an inactive state of a user equipment (S701, S703), a first transmission method or a second transmission method is selected at least based on a cell of a cellular communication system in which the small data transmission is to be performed by the user equipment (S705). Then the small data transmission is performed using the selected first or second transmission method (S707).

Abstract: An apparatus for use by a communication network control element or function configured to control a communication connection with a communication element or function in a first area and using a specific communication capability, the apparatus being configured to determine that a handover procedure is conducted for the communication element to switch the communication connection from the first area to a second area controlled by a target communication network control element or function to cause sending of a handover related request to the target communication network control element or function for starting a handover procedure, the handover related request including a request for service continuity including an indication that service continuity is required for at least one specific communication session, wherein the request for service continuity indicates that a path switch to the communication network is to be delayed.

Abstract: A method comprises receiving a handover request from a source BS, the handover request comprising a request for a handover of a UE involved in at least two QoS flows using a first MRB with the source BS, wherein the apparatus is using at least a second MRB for other UEs; starting to buffer packets for the UE; receiving a subsequent message comprising, for each of the at least two QoS flows, a CN SN of a first packet not transmitted by the source BS for that QoS flow; identifying a second packet with the highest protocol entity SN according to a protocol entity transmission order of the second MRB among packets which the source BS has delivered to the UE using the first MRB and the apparatus has transmitted to the other UEs using the second MRB; and transmitting a message configuring the UE to use the second MRB.

Abstract: It is provided a method comprising: inquiring a repository function to provide identifications of all producers registered in the repository function and satisfying a query condition; receiving or obtaining the identifications of all the producers registered in the repository function and satisfying the query condition upon the inquiring; requesting, using the received or obtained identifications, each of the producers to provide a service.

Abstract: According to an aspect, there is provided a distributed unit for a distributed access node. The distributed unit maintains, in a memory, information on a configuration of a first radio link control leg for a unicast data radio bearer or a single cell multicast radio bearer for point-to-point transmissions and a configuration of a second radio link control leg for the single cell multicast radio bearer for point-to-multipoint transmissions. The distributed unit receives channel state information and/or hybrid automatic repeat request feedback associated with one of the first and second radio link control legs being active from a terminal device and determines, based thereon, that improved efficiency is enabled if the second radio link control leg is set as active. The distributed unit transmits, to the terminal device, an activation command for activating downlink monitoring and decoding using the group radio network temporary identifier.

Abstract: There is provided a method for a second network node, the method comprising: receiving a message from a first network node configured to provide a multicast-broadcast service, MBS, for a user equipment, UE, the message comprising an MBS identifier identifying the MB S and at least one data flow identifier corresponding to at least one data flow, for providing the MBS, to be offloaded from the first network node to the second network node; determining whether or not a tunnel, between the second network node and a user plane entity, associated with the MBS identifier exists; on the basis of the determining, transmitting, to the first network node, a response message indicating whether or not a new tunnel for the MBS is requested to be established; and utilizing the existing tunnel or said new tunnel requested to be established for providing the MBS.