Abstract: There is provided a network apparatus configured to receive from a core network function a request to discover at least one access network node serving a user equipment, the request comprising a first user equipment identifier for identifying the user equipment in a core network; and use the user equipment identifier to provide to the core network function a second user equipment identifier identifying the user equipment in the access network, and at least one access network node identifier identifying at least one access network node in the access network that serves the user equipment.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for load and/or overload control in 5GC SBA are provided. One method may include transmitting, from a network function (NF) service consumer, overload control information (OCI) comprising scope information to a network function (NF) service producer or service communication proxy (SCP). The scope information may include at least one of: scope set to a notification uniform resource identifier (URI), or scope set to one of network function (NF) service instance, network function (NF) service set, network function (NF) instance, or network function (NF) set, and optionally a service name.

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 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: Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided for joining a multicast session of a communications network. In this regard, a control plane (CP) join request for a multicast service is received from user equipment. Furthermore, provision of a reject message associated with the CP join request to the user equipment is caused in response to a determination that a multicast distribution session is not available for a multicast address associated with the CP join request.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and/or apparatuses are provided relating to multicast service session information. Related procedures are for example provided including transmitting multicast service session information to a core network node, wherein the multicast service session information comprises an indication of whether a separate session start request will be later provided for the multicast service session and/or a start time and stop time for the multicast service session.

Abstract: There are provided measures for optimization of network function profile administration and discovery. Such measures exemplarily comprise, at a network entity in a network entity composition, transmitting, towards a network repository function, a network entity registration request including an identifier of said network entity, an identifier of said network entity composition, and network entity specific attributes of said network entity, and receiving a network entity registration response indicative of a result of said network entity registration request.

Abstract: Method comprising: determining at least one terminal that should be kept in RRC connected state, wherein the determination is based on at least one of the following criteria: participation of the terminal in a communication session that is to be distributed via multicast or broadcast, a history of communication patterns of the terminal, and input of a human moderator; and informing a network function of the determined at least one terminal that the terminal should be kept in the RRC connected state.

Abstract: Method comprising: receiving information related to an intended federated learning training, wherein the intended federated learning training involves a set of candidate members performing a respective local training; generating federated learning specific assistance information for the intended federated learning training based on the information related to the intended federated learning training; providing the federated learning specific assistance information in response to the receiving the information related to the intended federated learning training.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products of policy control for 5G multicast-broadcast services (5MBS) are provided. One method may include, when a multicast distribution session begins, selecting, by an ingress node, a control node for the multicast distribution session. The method may also include attempting to establish a policy association for the multicast distribution session with the control node, receiving a failure reply from the control node for establishing the policy association including an identifier of an already assigned second control node, establishing a policy control association related to the multicast distribution session with the second control node, providing the identifier (ID) of the multicast distribution session to the second control node, and receiving policies related to the multicast distribution session from the second control node.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus comprising means for performing: determining a presence of at least one user equipment that is participating in a multicast session while in an inactive state; determining an area where handling of the multicast session for the at least one user equipment in inactive state is required; determining one or more nodes handling cells within at least a part of the determined area for handling the multicast session; in response to the determining a presence of at least one user equipment in inactive state, sending to each determined node a request to handle the multicast session for the at least one user equipment in inactive state.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus, said apparatus comprising, at a multicast/broadcast session management function of a core network, means for receiving information related to a shared centralised unit user plane, CU UP for a multicast/broadcast session, from a radio access network, RAN, node or an access management function of the core network, means for determining, based on the information, whether to configure a user plane function of the core network to deliver data or to terminate delivery of data for the multicast/broadcast session towards the shared CU UP and means for, if so, configuring the user plane function to deliver data or to terminate delivery of data for the multicast/broadcast session towards the shared CU UP

Abstract: A technique comprising: sending to a proxy function from a client function a first service request for which the client function delegates to the proxy function discovery, via a network repository function, of a service producer for the first service request; receiving at the client function in reply to the service request a service response, wherein the service response includes an authorisation token indicating a token scope; and in response to a determination that the indicated token scope at least partly matches a requested scope for a second service request regardless of whether the token scope fully matches the requested scope, including the authorisation token in the second service request.

Abstract: An apparatus, comprising at least one processing circuitry, and at least one memory for storing instructions to be executed by the at least one 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 receive a request for joining a terminal endpoint device to an established multicast session; based on the received request, subscribe at a network entity to one or several notifications, the one or several notifications indicating whether data to be transmitted for the established multicast session is available for multicasting; obtain a subscribed notification from the network entity if data for the established multicast session is available for multicasting; and responsive to the obtained subscribed notification, issue for the established multicast session a downlink data notification for the terminal endpoint device.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and computer readable medium for user plane function control for multicast transport. A method includes sending (300) a session establishment request to a user plane function requesting the user plane function to apply multicast and supply identifiers for outgoing packets. The method also includes receiving (305) from the user plane function a multicast response comprising the requested identifiers. The method also includes establishing (605) a multicast tunnel with a network node.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for broadcast service restoration for multicast/broadcast service upon radio access node failure or restart are provided. For example, a method may include storing a last multicast/broadcast service session information received from a multicast/broadcast session management function corresponding to a multicast/broadcast service session. The method may also include detecting that a radio access node associated with the multicast/broadcast service session has restarted or is unreachable. The method may further include taking a further action to adjust the delivery of the multicast/broadcast service session based on the detection.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for restoration of multicast/broadcast service upon multicast/broadcast failure with restart are provided. For example, a method may include detecting a restart of a multicast/broadcast user plane function that was supporting a packet forwarding control protocol session for a multicast/broadcast session. The method may also include re-creating a packet forwarding control protocol session for the multicast/broadcast session. The method may further include providing addressing information for the data delivery of the broadcast/multicast session to the multicast/broadcast user plane function and instructing the multicast/broadcast user plane function to use this addressing information for the broadcast/multicast session if possible.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for restoration of multicast/broadcast service upon multicast/broadcast user plane function failure without restart are provided. For example, a method may include detecting non-functionality of a first multicast/broadcast user plane function that was supporting a packet forwarding control protocol session context for a multicast/broadcast session. The method may also include reselecting a second multicast/broadcast user plane function. The method may further include recreating a packet forwarding control protocol session context in the second multicast/broadcast user plane function for said multicast/broadcast session. The method may additionally include receiving new addressing information for the delivery of said multicast/broadcast session data from said second multicast/broadcast user plane function. The method may also include updating a network element with the new addressing information.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for handovers including fallbacks. In some example embodiments, there is provided an apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including program code which when executed causes the apparatus to at least: receive, during creation or modification of a bearer, a message including a handover threshold based at least in part on a type of codec for the bearer; receive, from a user equipment, a measurement report providing an indication of a condition of the bearer and/or perform a measurement, by the base station, providing the indication of the condition of the bearer; determine, based at least on the handover threshold, whether to initiate a handover. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described.