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: Satellite signal propagation delay variation can be compensated by transmitting ephemeris data of a satellite and cell measurement window specifications to a terminal, receiving an indication from the terminal that a cell measurement signal will arrive at the terminal outside of a time frame defined by the cell measurement window specifications, modifying the cell measurement window specifications based on a difference in propagation delay between a serving cell, which defines the cell measurement window specifications, and a neighboring cell, which transmits the cell measurement signal, so that the cell measurement signal will arrive at the terminal within the time frame defined by the cell measurement window specifications, the satellite providing communication with the terminal for at least one of the serving cell and the neighboring cell, and transmitting modified cell measurement window specifications to the terminal.

Abstract: Satellite signal propagation delay variation can be compensated by transmitting ephemeris data of a satellite and cell measurement window specifications to a terminal, receiving an indication from the terminal that a cell measurement signal will arrive at the terminal outside of a time frame defined by the cell measurement window specifications, modifying the cell measurement window specifications based on a difference in propagation delay between a serving cell, which defines the cell measurement window specifications, and a neighboring cell, which transmits the cell measurement signal, so that the cell measurement signal will arrive at the terminal within the time frame defined by the cell measurement window specifications, the satellite providing communication with the terminal for at least one of the serving cell and the neighboring cell, and transmitting modified cell measurement window specifications to the terminal.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for improving service continuity are disclosed. The solution comprises storing (300) information slice remapping describing how a given net-work slice may be mapped to another network slice, receiving (302) a first message from an access node, that the node serves a terminal or has received a request to serve a terminal utilising a network slice not supported by the node and transmitting (304) based on the first message a message to a network entity responsible for session management to control the connection of the terminal, with the information on slice remapping and/or activity status of the packet data unit sessions associated with the slice not supported by the node.

Abstract: Satellite signal propagation delay variation can be compensated by transmitting ephemeris data of a satellite and cell measurement window specifications to a terminal, receiving an indication from the terminal that a cell measurement signal will arrive at the terminal outside of a time frame defined by the cell measurement window specifications, modifying the cell measurement window specifications based on a difference in propagation delay between a serving cell, which defines the cell measurement window specifications, and a neighboring cell, which transmits the cell measurement signal, so that the cell measurement signal will arrive at the terminal within the time frame defined by the cell measurement window specifications, the satellite providing communication with the terminal for at least one of the serving cell and the neighboring cell, and transmitting modified cell measurement window specifications to the terminal.

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: Transport information of a second communication system is allocated to at least one radio access bearer between a terminal device and a first packet core serving device of a first communication system. Information about the at least one allocated tunnel endpoint is signalled to a network access device of the first communication system, and data received from the first packet core serving device of the first communication system at one of the at least one allocated tunnel endpoints and data received from a second packet core serving device of the second communication system is forwarded to the terminal device during an inter-system handover.

Abstract: There is provided a method, comprising: detecting, by a first network node from a user equipment, a connection request to a first radio access technology, RAT; determining, before the user equipment is switched to a connected state in the first RAT, whether a second RAT is more suitable to serve the user equipment than the first RAT; and upon deciding that the second RAT is more suitable, providing the user equipment with connection information of the second RAT, wherein the connection information causes the user equipment to directly connect with the second RAT instead of the first RAT.

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: A reconfiguration message is received at user equipment in a communication system from a disaggregated base station with which the user equipment has a current security context established. The reconfiguration message comprises an instruction to compute a new security context based on a security domain counter value, wherein the security domain counter value represents a given security domain from a plurality of security domains supported by the disaggregated base station. The new security context is computed at the user equipment for the given security domain based on the security domain counter value. A set of security keys are derived from the new security context at the user equipment.

Abstract: Data forwarding may be useful in many communication systems. Thus, for example, data forwarding support may be useful in dual connectivity in, for example, the third generation partnership project (3GPP) and more particularly to dual connectivity with enabled downlink (DL) data back forwarding. A method can include receiving, by a first network node, an indication indicating that for at least one split bearer, data received prior to the indication is to be forwarded to a second network node. The indication can also indicate that the at least one split bearer should be kept or maintained at the first network node. The method can also include, in response to the received indication, forwarding the data for the at least one split bearer received prior to the indication to the second network node.

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: There is provided a method, comprising: detecting, by a first network node from a user equipment, a connection request to a first radio access technology, RAT; determining, before the user equipment is switched to a connected state in the first RAT, whether a second RAT is more suitable to serve the user equipment than the first RAT; and upon deciding that the second RAT is more suitable, providing the user equipment with connection information of the second RAT, wherein the connection information causes the user equipment to directly connect with the second RAT instead of the first RAT.

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: 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 reconfiguration message is received at user equipment in a communication system from a disaggregated base station with which the user equipment has a current security context established. The reconfiguration message comprises an instruction to compute a new security context based on a security domain counter value, wherein the security domain counter value represents a given security domain from a plurality of security domains supported by the disaggregated base station. The new security context is computed at the user equipment for the given security domain based on the security domain counter value. A set of security keys are derived from the new security context at the user equipment.

Abstract: A 5G network communicates per-slice constraints for QoS parameter values from a centralized unit (CU) to a MAC scheduler of a distributed unit (DU). The CU communicates these per-slice constraints, rather than or in addition to per-DRB constraints, to the MAC scheduler over the CU/DU interface. In some implementations, the CU/DU interface is an F1 air interface as defined in specification 38.473 in the 3GPP standard. In some implementations, the DU provides per-slice performance feedback over the CU/DU interface. Based on such feedback, the CU may adjust the per-slice QoS constraints.

Abstract: There is provided a communicating, at a first network access point, with a core network entity using a user plane protocol, said communicating comprising receiving user data from the core network entity on a first bearer, the first bearer capable of being split with a second network access point such that at least some of the user data is provided to the second network access point, the first network access point and the second network access point configured to communicate wirelessly with a plurality of user equipments, and wherein the first network access point does not communicate with the core network using a control plane protocol associated with the first bearer.

Abstract: A 5G network communicates per-slice constraints for QoS parameter values from a centralized unit (CU) to a MAC scheduler of a distributed unit (DU). The CU communicates these per-slice constraints, rather than or in addition to per-DRB constraints, to the MAC scheduler over the CU/DU interface. In some implementations, the CU/DU interface is an F1 air interface as defined in specification 38.473 in the 3GPP standard. In some implementations, the DU provides per-slice performance feedback over the CU/DU interface. Based on such feedback, the CU may adjust the per-slice QoS constraints.