Abstract: Techniques that provide enterprise slice management are described herein. In one embodiment, a method includes providing an enterprise service template to an enterprise, the enterprise service template comprising parameter input fields for indicating enterprise devices associated with the enterprise, services to be provided to the enterprise devices using a mobile network, and service options associated with the services; determining one or more mobile network services to be provided to a plurality of enterprise devices and one or more service options associated with the one or more mobile network services; identifying, based on the one or more mobile network services, an enterprise slice to provide the one or more mobile network services; and provisioning the enterprise slice based on the one or more mobile network services, the plurality of enterprise devices, and the one or more service options associated with the one or more mobile network services.

Abstract: A controller of a macro wireless network provisions a user device for access to local private networks based on the cell that the user device uses to attach to the macro wireless network. The controller obtains information on private networks operating within a coverage area of the macro wireless network. The controller associates a particular cell of the macro wireless network with one or more private networks operating within the particular cell. The controller detects a user device in the particular cell and provisions the user device with access to the one or more private networks.

Abstract: In one illustrative example, a user plane (UP) entity for use in a mobile network may receive a data packet from a user equipment (UE) operative to communicate in one or more sessions via a serving base station (BS) (e.g. eNB or gNB) of the mobile network. The UP entity may detect, in a header (e.g. SRH) of the data packet, an identifier indicating a new serving BS or session of the UE. The identifier may be UE- or BS-added data (e.g. iOAM data) that is inserted in the header by the UE or BS. In response, the UP entity may cause a message to be sent to an analytics function (e.g. a NWDAF) to perform analytics for session or flow migration for the UE.

Abstract: In a mobile network, an identity of a security group associated with user equipments (UEs) may be obtained. A segment route (SR) path for session communications in the mobile network for the UEs may be selected based on the identity of the security group. The SR path may be one of a plurality of SR paths in a transport network used by the mobile network and defined at least in part by one or more segment IDs (SIDs). An identity of a virtual network associated with the security group may also be obtained. The selected SR path and the identity of the virtual network may be provisioned in one or more routers of the transport network, such that IP messages communicated for the UEs in the mobile network are forwarded via the selected SR path and (at least ultimately) via the tunnel associated with the security group.

Abstract: A network function (NF) repository function (NRF) suitable for use in a 5G mobile network utilizing segment routing (SR) is described. The first interface of the NRF may be an Nnrf interface with a service discovery function. The second interface of the NRF may be for use with a SR path information obtaining function for interfacing with a SR path computation entity (SR-PCE). The service discovery function may be further configured to discover NF instances based on identifying an NF instance being associated with SR path information that accords to least one service, application, or subscription requirement obtained according to the discovery request.

Abstract: In a mobile network, an identity of a security group associated with user equipments (UEs) may be obtained. A segment route (SR) path for session communications in the mobile network for the UEs may be selected based on the identity of the security group. The SR path may be one of a plurality of SR paths in a transport network used by the mobile network and defined at least in part by one or more segment IDs (SIDs). An identity of a virtual network associated with the security group may also be obtained. The selected SR path and the identity of the virtual network may be provisioned in one or more routers of the transport network, such that IP messages communicated for the UEs in the mobile network are forwarded via the selected SR path and (at least ultimately) via the tunnel associated with the security group.

Abstract: Techniques that provide enterprise slice management are described herein. In one embodiment, a method includes providing an enterprise service template to an enterprise, the enterprise service template comprising parameter input fields for indicating enterprise devices associated with the enterprise, services to be provided to the enterprise devices using a mobile network, and service options associated with the services; determining one or more mobile network services to be provided to a plurality of enterprise devices and one or more service options associated with the one or more mobile network services; identifying, based on the one or more mobile network services, an enterprise slice to provide the one or more mobile network services; and provisioning the enterprise slice based on the one or more mobile network services, the plurality of enterprise devices, and the one or more service options associated with the one or more mobile network services.

Abstract: Methods for selecting network slice, session management, and user plane functions for user equipment (UE) are described. In one example, a control plane (CP) entity for mobility management may select a CP entity for session management for a session of a UE based on a first set of data items. The CP entity for mobility management may further select a user plane (UP) entity for the session of the UE based on a second set of data items, where second set of data items include at least some of the same data items of the first set. The CP entity for mobility management may send, to the selected CP entity, a message including an identity or indication of the selected UP entity for the session of the UE. The selected CP entity may select the identified or indicated UP entity for use in the session of the UE.

Abstract: In one illustrative example, a mobility node (e.g. an SMF) may receive a message which indicates a request for creating a session for a user equipment (UE). A user plane function (UPF) instance for the session may be selected based on a set of parameters. The set of parameters may include one or more location(s) of one or more multi-access edge computing (MEC) resources and applications of interest for the UE. Location data associated with the MEC resources and applications may be determined from server addresses obtained from UPF processing of domain name server (DNS) queries associated with the applications. In preferred implementations, the server addresses are client subnet location-dependent server addresses obtained from client subnet-based DNS queries. The server addresses or location data derived therefrom may be regularly submitted to the SMF for improved UPF selection based on locations of MEC resources and applications.

Abstract: Methods for selecting network slice, session management, and user plane functions for for user equipment (UE) are described. In one example, a control plane (CP) entity for mobility management may select a CP entity for session management for a session of a UE based on a first set of data items. The CP entity for mobility management may further select a user plane (UP) entity for the session of the UE based on a second set of data items, where second set of data items include at least some of the same data items of the first set. The CP entity for mobility management may send, to the selected CP entity, a message including an identity or indication of the selected UP entity for the session of the UE. The selected CP entity may select the identified or indicated UP entity for use in the session of the UE.

Abstract: Techniques that provide location-based enterprise policy application within a mobile network are described herein. In one embodiment, a method includes provisioning a location-based enterprise policy within a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) mobile network, wherein the location-based enterprise policy comprises one or more mobile network policies configured by an enterprise and the location-based enterprise policy is associated with at least one enterprise device and at least one enterprise site of the enterprise; determining, via the 3GPP mobile network, that the at least one enterprise device is proximate to the at least one enterprise site; and activating, via the 3GPP mobile network, the one or more mobile network policies of the location-based enterprise policy based on the at least one enterprise device being proximate to the at least one enterprise site.

Abstract: Techniques are described to provide for authentication and subscription management that are decoupled from a Home Subscriber Server (HSS).

Abstract: In one illustrative example, a user plane (UP) entity for use in a mobile network may receive a data packet from a user equipment (UE) operative to communicate in one or more sessions via a serving base station (BS) (e.g. eNB or gNB) of the mobile network. The UP entity may detect, in a header (e.g. SRH) of the data packet, an identifier indicating a new serving BS or session of the UE. The identifier may be UE- or BS-added data (e.g. iOAM data) that is inserted in the header by the UE or BS. In response, the UP entity may cause a message to be sent to an analytics function (e.g. a NWDAF) to perform analytics for session or flow migration for the UE.

Abstract: In one illustrative example, a mobility node (e.g. an SMF) may receive a message which indicates a request for creating a session for a user equipment (UE). A user plane function (UPF) instance for the session may be selected based on a set of parameters. The set of parameters may include one or more location(s) of one or more multi-access edge computing (MEC) resources and applications of interest for the UE. Location data associated with the MEC resources and applications may be determined from server addresses obtained from UPF processing of domain name server (DNS) queries associated with the applications. In preferred implementations, the server addresses are client subnet location-dependent server addresses obtained from client subnet-based DNS queries. The server addresses or location data derived therefrom may be regularly submitted to the SMF for improved UPF selection based on locations of MEC resources and applications.

Abstract: A service interface template for an enterprise mobile service of a mobile network may be provided for use by an enterprise. The service interface template may involve an API at an API endpoint for enterprise exposure and control over at least a subset of mobile service functions of the mobile network for use in relation to a plurality of UEs of the enterprise. The API may be defined by API request types to perform operations in relation to resources of a data store. The resources may include a collection of selectable parameter indication elements corresponding to selectable parameter indications for use in provisioning mobile service functions. A backend interface function may be provided for the API endpoint, to cause the provisionable mobile service function to be provisioned and/or executed with provisionable parameters corresponding to a selected one of the selectable parameter indications received via the API endpoint.

Abstract: A network function (NF) repository function (NRF) suitable for use in a 5G mobile network utilizing segment routing (SR) is described. The first interface of the NRF may be an Nnrf interface with a service discovery function. The second interface of the NRF may be for use with a SR path information obtaining function for interfacing with a SR path computation entity (SR-PCE). The service discovery function may be further configured to discover NF instances based on identifying an NF instance being associated with SR path information that accords to least one service, application, or subscription requirement obtained according to the discovery request.

Abstract: In a mobile network, an identity of a security group associated with user equipments (UEs) may be obtained. A segment route (SR) path for session communications in the mobile network for the UEs may be selected based on the identity of the security group. The SR path may be one of a plurality of SR paths in a transport network used by the mobile network and defined at least in part by one or more segment IDs (SIDs). An identity of a virtual network associated with the security group may also be obtained. The selected SR path and the identity of the virtual network may be provisioned in one or more routers of the transport network, such that IP messages communicated for the UEs in the mobile network are forwarded via the selected SR path and (at least ultimately) via the tunnel associated with the security group.

Abstract: In one illustrative example, a mobility node (e.g. an SMF) may receive a message which indicates a request for creating a session for a user equipment (UE). A user plane function (UPF) instance for the session may be selected based on a set of parameters. The set of parameters may include one or more location(s) of one or more multi-access edge computing (MEC) resources and applications of interest for the UE. Location data associated with the MEC resources and applications may be determined from server addresses obtained from UPF processing of domain name server (DNS) queries associated with the applications. In preferred implementations, the server addresses are client subnet location-dependent server addresses obtained from client subnet-based DNS queries. The server addresses or location data derived therefrom may be regularly submitted to the SMF for improved UPF selection based on locations of MEC resources and applications.

Abstract: A control plane of a network, including radios of a radio access network controlled by the control plane and user plane functions controlled by the control plane, establishes first and second protocol data unit (PDU) connections each to handle the same flows of traffic for ultra-reliable low latency communications (URLLC) from user equipment to a data network through first and second source radios, respectively. Due to mobility of the user equipment, the control plane relocates the flows from the first and second source radios to first and second target radios, respectively. To relocate the flows, the control plane receives from the first target radio a notification that identifies flows that cannot be activated on the first target radio. In response to the notification, the control plane commands the first target radio to prioritize the flows that cannot be activated above remaining ones of the flows.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method is performed. A first control plane entity may generate a first seamless bidirectional forwarding detection (S-BFD) control packet. The first S-BFD control packet may include a first discriminator value, a second discriminator value, and a segment routing header. The first discriminator value may be set to a discriminator value associated with a network node of a path comprising a plurality of network nodes. The second discriminator value may be set to a discriminator value associated with the first control plane entity. The segment routing header may be set to an ordered list of values associated with the plurality of network nodes. The values may include at least one of an address or a discriminator value.