Abstract: An apparatus including circuitry configured to: receive, from a first user equipment, a session initiation protocol invite request to a second user equipment, wherein the session initiation protocol invite request includes information related to at least one avatar; transmit at least one signing request to a signing server, the at least one signing request including the information related to the at least one avatar as part of a signing process; receive, from the signing server, a response to the at least one signing request, wherein the response to the at least one signing request includes a signed token or other relevant information created during the signing process in relation with the at least one avatar; and forward, to a network entity, the session initiation protocol invite request with an identity header, wherein the identity header includes the signed token or the other relevant information created during the signing process.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for security management during an onboarding process for user equipment. For example, from a perspective of an onboarding network, a method comprises authenticating, via the onboarding network, user equipment based on an onboarding record previously configured for the user equipment or a set of user equipment and maintained by the onboarding network. Upon successful authentication, a communication session is established from the onboarding network to a provisioning server for remote provisioning of the user equipment. Advantageously, the onboarding process is performed without a default credential server.

Abstract: There are provided measures for enabling/realizing external steering of access traffic multipath communication in a mobile communication system, e.g. an external access traffic multipath communication steering function. Some such measures include that a session management function element or instance in a mobile communication system initiates control of establishment of at least one user plane session for access traffic multipath communication, obtains communication information of an external steering function element or instance to be used for steering access traffic multipath communication in the at least one user plane session, creates access traffic multipath communication rules, forwarding action rules and multi access rules for access traffic multipath communication in the at least one user plane session, and provides the access traffic multipath communication rules and the communication information of the external steering function element or instance to the communication function element or instance.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for access traffic steering, switching, and splitting (ATSSS) with branching point (BP) on the path are provided. The method may include determining that an existing user plane function is sub-optimal in terms of routing and latency incurred with respect to traffic for a given packet data unit session of a user equipment. The method may also include establishing, based on the determination, a new user plane function for the packet data unit session. The method may further include establishing a branching point user plane function that interfaces with the existing user plane function, the new user plane function, and a plurality of network access types. In addition, the method may include updating the user equipment by providing the user equipment with relevant multi-access traffic steering rules.

Abstract: Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided for discovery and/or access to localized services provided by a communication network. In this regard, based on a tracking area code associated with a local network configured to provide localized services, a registration update process, a handover, or a state transition is initiated with respect to user equipment that is served by a mobile network. Furthermore, network information for the local network during the registration update process, during the handover, or during the state transition of the user equipment is determined. Network information is also provided to the user equipment during the registration update process, during the handover, or during the state transition of the user equipment. Additionally, a connection between the user equipment and the local network is established based on the network information.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus comprising means for determining a quality of experience value associated with a user equipment's application session, the quality of experience value being based on one or more values associated with a respective one or more quality of service metrics for the user equipment's session. The apparatus also comprising means for adjusting one or more network parameters based on the determined quality of experience value.

Abstract: Techniques for facilitating onboarding to a non-public network is provided. Provisioning parameters may be provided to User Equipment (UE) from a Default Credential Server (DCS) via a secure communication tunnel. Additionally or alternatively, provisioning parameter container(s) including readable provisioning parameters for an Onboarding Network (ONN), and secure provisioning parameters for the UE, may be transmitted to the UE via the ONN. The disclosed methods and apparatuses enable the UE to onboard to a non-public network using the provisioning parameters, and to verify the integrity of the provisioning parameters and ensure the provisioning parameters are not modified by an unauthorized device.

Abstract: Various communication systems may benefit from appropriate restriction on use. For example, certain wireless communication systems may benefit from radio-access-technology-specific access restrictions. A method can include registering a user equipment with a network element. The registering can include identifying user equipment capabilities. The method can also include receiving a response from the network element indicating restriction on use of at least one radio access technology.

Abstract: Techniques for securely identifying applications in a communication network are disclosed. For example, a method comprises receiving, at user equipment, a data item associated with an application program that is installed or being installed on the user equipment. The method further comprises storing, by the user equipment, the data item with an identifier of the application program. The method still further comprises utilizing, by the user equipment, the stored data item when deciding to apply a route selection rule for data traffic associated with the application program.

Abstract: There are provided measures for location based network access management. Such measures exemplarily comprise receiving a rejection message indicative of rejection of access of said mobile terminal to a first mobile network, checking for a cause of said rejection of access of said mobile terminal to said first mobile network, and affecting, if said cause of said rejection of access of said mobile terminal to said first mobile network is indicative of that said mobile terminal is not allowed to access to said first mobile network from a determined location of said mobile terminal, a selection of a second mobile network to be accessed based on a content of said rejection message.

Abstract: Techniques for providing more efficient onboarding traffic protocols in a standalone non-public network architecture are provided. A network entity includes processing circuitry and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processing circuitry, cause the network entity at least to generate one or more traffic filter rules for a traffic filter set. The one or more traffic filter rules or traffic detection rules are generated based at least in part on domain name service query response information related to one or more user device originated domain name service queries. The network entity may further be configured to cause a user plane function to be provided with the one or more traffic filter rules.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus, method and computer program fora network function, that causes the apparatus to signal, to a replication handling function, a set of replication criteria defining, for one or more session associated with a first user traffic and a second user traffic, when at least one of the first and second user traffic will be transmitted using a replication-based redundancy mechanism, wherein each of the first and second user traffic are associated with a respective quality of service requirement for transmission.

Abstract: There is provided a method for an apparatus for a network function, the apparatus for the network function, and a computer program for the apparatus, that causes the apparatus to: receive an indication that a first user equipment and/or a first user plane function configured to transmit first user traffic is associated with a first replication handling function, the first replication handling function being configurable to coordinate at least one replication-based redundancy mechanism performed on at least part of said first user traffic; determine a first set of replication rules for use by the first replication handling function determining when the at least one replication-based redundancy mechanism is performed on at least part of said first user traffic; and cause the first set of replication rules to be provided to the first replication handling function.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for access traffic steering, switching, and splitting (ATSSS) with branching point (BP) on the path are provided. The method may include determining that an existing user plane function is sub-optimal in terms of routing and latency incurred with respect to traffic for a given packet data unit session of a user equipment. The method may also include establishing, based on the determination, a new user plane function for the packet data unit session. The method may further include establishing a branching point user plane function that interfaces with the existing user plane function, the new user plane function, and a plurality of network access types. In addition, the method may include updating the user equipment by providing the user equipment with relevant multi-access traffic steering rules.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus, said apparatus comprising means for receiving an indication of an identifier of a group comprising one or more user equipments, providing the indication of the identifier of the group to a first network function and selecting a second network function for use by a user equipment of the group based on the indication of the identifier of the group.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for access traffic steering, switching, and splitting (ATSSS) with branching point (BP) or uplink classifier (ULCL) on the path. The method may include, setting up, in response to a request, a first user plane function with multi-access traffic steering functionality. The method may also include requesting a user equipment to establish a new multi-access packet data unit session to a same data network name and slice as an old multi-access packet data unit session, or request the user equipment to release the old multi-access packet data unit session with a second user plane function and to initiate a multi-access packet data unit session re-establishment. The method may further include sending, to the user equipment, multi-access rules for the new multi-access packet data unit session, a new internet protocol address, and new multipath transmission control protocol proxy information.

Abstract: Techniques for facilitating onboarding to a non-public network is provided. Provisioning parameters may be provided to User Equipment (UE) from a Default Credential Server (DCS) via a secure communication tunnel. Additionally or alternatively, provisioning parameter container(s) including readable provisioning parameters for an Onboarding Network (ONN), and secure provisioning parameters for the UE, may be transmitted to the UE via the ONN. The disclosed methods and apparatuses enable the UE to onboard to a non-public network using the provisioning parameters, and to verify the integrity of the provisioning parameters and ensure the provisioning parameters are not modified by an unauthorized device.

Abstract: Techniques for providing more efficient onboarding traffic protocols in a standalone non-public network architecture are provided. A network entity includes processing circuitry and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processing circuitry, cause the network entity at least to generate one or more traffic filter rules for a traffic filter set. The one or more traffic filter rules or traffic detection rules are generated based at least in part on domain name service query response information related to one or more user device originated domain name service queries. The network entity may further be configured to cause a user plane function to be provided with the one or more traffic filter rules.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for security management during an onboarding process for user equipment. For example, from a perspective of an onboarding network, a method comprises authenticating, via the onboarding network, user equipment based on an onboarding record previously configured for the user equipment or a set of user equipment and maintained by the onboarding network. Upon successful authentication, a communication session is established from the onboarding network to a provisioning server for remote provisioning of the user equipment. Advantageously, the onboarding process is performed without a default credential server.

Abstract: Techniques for improving the resiliency of communication networks by providing radio access network data stored in a radio access network database to one or more associated radio access network nodes are provided. A network entity receives a connection request from a user device including at least a radio access network set identifier or radio access network database identifier. The network entity determines whether the radio access network set identifier received in the connection request corresponds to an associated radio access network set identifier. In an instance in which the radio access network set identifier received in the connection request corresponds to the associated radio access network set identifier, radio access network database data are retrieved from the radio access network database associated with the radio access network set identifier. The radio access network database data include at least user device context data for the associated user device.