Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for charging in multi-connectivity systems. In some example embodiments, there may be provided a method that includes marking, by a first base station serving a user equipment, at least one packet to include a first indication indicating that the at least one packet was received directly at the first base station serving the user equipment; and marking, by the first base station, at least one other packet to include a second indication to indicate that the at least one other packet was received via a second base station also serving the user equipment. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also described.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to determine by a network node of a serving cell of a communication network signaling including at least one parameter indicating that page reception on a paging channel of a neighbor cell can be performed by a network device without system information acquisition by the network device; and send the signaling toward the network device. Further, a method and apparatus to receive by a network device of a communication network from a serving cell signaling including at least one parameter indicating that page reception on a neighbor cell by a network device can be performed by the network device without system information acquisition by the network device; and based on the signaling, listen for a paging message on a paging channel associated with the neighbor cell without system information acquisition.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to perform determining signaling including at least one wake-up signal to indicate an occurrence or a non-occurrence of a paging request associated with a next paging occasion of a network device; and sending the signaling including the at least one wake-up signal toward a network device in a communication network, wherein the at least one wake-up signal is to cause the network device to determine whether to leave at the next paging occasion an energy saving sleep mode to receive the paging request. Further, there is performing receiving by a network device in a communication network at least one wake-up signal to indicate an occurrence or a non-occurrence of a paging request, wherein the at least one wake-up signal is for use by the network device to determine whether to leave at its next paging occasion an energy saving sleep mode.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising at least one processing circuitry, and at least one memory for storing instructions to be executed by the processing circuitry, wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are configured to, with the at least one processing circuitry, cause the apparatus at least: to prepare configuration information regarding cell reselection in a communication network for at least one communication element capable of communicating in a multi-connectivity communication mode, wherein the configuration information comprises at least one preservation scope indication related to at least one cell reselection priority indication which indicates that priority is to be assigned to a first type of cells of the communication network for cell reselection, compared to other types of cells of the communication network, wherein the at least one preservation scope indication indicates at least one cell across which the at least one cell reselection priority indication is to be maintained, and to provide th

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for user-plane switching of traffic for dual connectivity. In some example embodiments, there is provided a method. The method may include receiving, at a serving gateway, an indication to persist a first tunnel identifier located at a master base station, while the serving gateway sends, towards a second tunnel identifier located at a secondary node, user plane traffic for a user equipment in dual connectivity with the master base station and the secondary node; and switching, at the serving gateway, the user plane traffic between the second tunnel identifier and the first tunnel identifier, when the serving gateway receives, via a user plane, an error indication and/or a switch indication. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for switching flow separation in dual connectivity. In some example embodiments, there may be provided a method that includes suspending, at the user equipment, at least one bearer and corresponding quality of service filter, when an access node is added as a secondary base station providing dual connectivity to the user equipment; switching, by the user equipment and in response to the added secondary base station, one or more packets to at least a secondary bearer at the added secondary base station; and reverting, by the user equipment, to the suspended at least one bearer and corresponding quality of service filter, when the added secondary base station is released as a connection at the user equipment. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also described.

Abstract: A method of carrying out dual connectivity with a secondary access node and an apparatus is provided. A mode of operation of a user equipment is determined in dependence on the presence of bearers mapped to the secondary access node. Operating in a first mode occurs when it is determined that one or more bearers are mapped to a secondary access node. Operation in a second mode occurs when it is determined that no bearers are mapped to the secondary no access node. The second mode comprises limiting a listening time to a downlink channel from the secondary access node with respect to the first mode.

Abstract: A method for configuring an access node to operate within a time division duplex communications system between the access node and at least one user equipment wherein the time division duplex communications system is a narrowband internet of things time division duplex communications system co-located with a long term evolution communications system network configured to switch a uplink and downlink configuration from frame to frame, the method comprising: generating a channel/signal, the channel/signal comprising information of a uplink and downlink configuration for communication between the access node and the at least one user equipment; mapping the channel/signal to at least one subframe period; and transmitting the channel/signal to the at least one user equipment during the at least one subframe period, such that the channel/signal is received and used by the at least one user equipment to set a uplink and downlink configuration for communication between the access node and the at least one user equipm

Abstract: Various communication systems may benefit from uplink transmission over preconfigured resources. In accordance with some embodiments, an apparatus may comprise at least one memory comprising computer program code and at least one processor. The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to receive at least one indication of at least one resource from a network entity. The apparatus may further determine whether at least one current timing advance value is valid. The apparatus may further, upon determining that the at least one current timing advance value is not valid, performing at least one timing advance update procedure. At least one timing advance update procedure is performed when at least one estimated timing advance shift is within at least one threshold.

Abstract: The present invention addresses apparatuses, methods and computer program product for enabling support of legacy user equipment and legacy network elements in small cell system for LTE and beyond systems. Each small cell uses a unique pair of Physical Cell Identifier and E-UTRAN Cell Global Identifier {PCI, ECGI} in the small cell system. In a handover preparation phase, when an enhanced eNB initiates the handover request procedure, the source eNB includes the pair of {PCI, ECGI} in the handover request message. Upon the reception of the {PCI, ECGI} from the handover request message, the associated eNB determines the target small cell based on the received pair of {PCI, ECGI}.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for a modified multi-slot random access channel (RACH) transmission, such as an extended coverage RACH (EC-RACH) transmission, are provided. One method includes transmitting, by a mobile station associated with a network, a dual slot hybrid random access channel including a long burst followed by one access burst or including one access burst followed by one long burst. Two consecutive time slots may be used for the random access channel transmission.

Abstract: Network initiated re-authorization for coverage enhancement It is provided a method, comprising checking if a device is authorized for initiating an access in an extended coverage; inhibiting the device to initiate the access while the device camps in the extended coverage and the device is not authorized for the initiating of the access in the extended coverage; monitoring if a paging message for the device is received while the device camps in the extended coverage, wherein the paging message is to initiate a signaling access in the extended coverage for a signaling procedure to get the latest status of coverage authorization; allowing the device to initiate the signaling access while the device camps in the extended coverage if the paging message is received.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for controlling dual connectivity in a communication system are disclosed. Information on at least one failure in relation to a cell change of a communication device connected to a master access point and a secondary access point is determined. The determined information is communicated to the secondary access point. The secondary access point uses the information in mobility control.

Abstract: There is provided a method comprising: determining that at least one channel condition of a first carrier is below a threshold, the first carrier operating as a first primary carrier and having a first bandwidth; in response to the determining, determining to use a second carrier as a second primary carrier, which second carrier is determined to provide better coverage than the first carrier, wherein the second carrier comprises a narrowband single resource block co-located within the first bandwidth; and receiving a control channel using the second carrier.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products supporting LTE-new radio (NR) interworking are provided. One method includes detecting, by a user equipment (UE) in connected mode and having dual connectivity with a master node and secondary node established, of inactivity for the master node. Based on the detection of the inactivity of the master node, the UE enters into a power saving state. A signaling radio bearer (SRB) of the secondary node is pre-configured prior to the entering into the power saving state. At the same time as entering the power saving state, the UE signals to the secondary node that the UE is entering into the power saving state and activates the signaling radio bearer (SRB) of the secondary node.

Abstract: A method comprises responsive to adding of an additional base station for a user equipment, said additional base station having a closed subscriber cell, causing a message to be transmitted to a network entity, said message comprising information identifying a closed subscriber group associated with said additional base station.

Abstract: A technique is provided for receiving, by a user device from a serving base station, a list of base stations including base station identities and/or respective information about their physical channels used for broadcast signaling for which a timing advance measurement is being requested, receiving, by the user device, a positioning reference identifier associated with a timing advance measurement procedure with respect to the user device and one or more base stations identified in the list, and sending, by the user device to one or more of the base stations identified in the list, an uplink signal including a synchronization sequence and the positioning reference identifier.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method in a mobile network providing dual connectivity with local caching at access point. The method comprises a master access node (MeNB) and a secondary access node (SeNB). The master access node and the secondary access node exchange cache capability and cache content information based on which the master access node configures a secondary cell group bearer. Packets received at the secondary access node comprising a request for cacheable content are forwarded to the master access node for content retrieval if the content is not available at the local cache of the secondary access node. Other packets are forwarded directly to a serving gateway. The invention relates also to an apparatus, a computer program product and a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for charging in multi-connectivity systems. In some example embodiments, there may be provided a method that includes marking, by a first base station serving a user equipment, at least one packet to include a first indication indicating that the at least one packet was received directly at the first base station serving the user equipment; and marking, by the first base station, at least one other packet to include a second indication to indicate that the at least one other packet was received via a second base station also serving the user equipment. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also described.

Abstract: A method comprising: receiving at a source serving node (505) an identifier associated with a group of random access channel preambles for allocation by the source serving node (505), the group of random access channel preambles having been reserved at a serving node (503) from available random access channel preambles for the serving node (503); allocating at least one from the group of random access channel preambles, in response to determining a handover from the source serving node (505) to a target serving node (507); and transmitting (515) a message to the target serving node (507), the message comprising the at least one from the group of random access channel preambles.