A communications device transmitting/receiving signals to/from a mobile communications network includes one or more network elements providing a wireless access interface for the communications device. The wireless access interface includes plural communications resource elements across a host frequency range of a host carrier, and a first section of the communications resources within a first frequency range for preferable allocation to reduced capability devices forming a first reduced bandwidth carrier and a second section of the communications resources within a second frequency range for preferable allocation to the reduced capability devices forming a second reduced bandwidth carrier. Each of the first and second frequency ranges is within the host frequency range. The communications device is configured with a reduced capability to receive the signals only within a frequency bandwidth less than the host frequency range and equal to at least one of the first frequency range or the second frequency range.

A communications device transmitting/receiving signals to/from a mobile communications network includes one or more network elements providing a wireless access interface for the communications device. The wireless access interface includes plural communications resource elements across a host frequency range of a host carrier, and a first section of the communications resources within a first frequency range for preferable allocation to reduced capability devices forming a first reduced bandwidth carrier and a second section of the communications resources within a second frequency range for preferable allocation to the reduced capability devices forming a second reduced bandwidth carrier. Each of the first and second frequency ranges is within the host frequency range. The communications device is configured with a reduced capability to receive the signals only within a frequency bandwidth less than the host frequency range and equal to at least one of the first frequency range or the second frequency range.

A system is provided that includes one management cluster to manage network function virtualization infrastructure (NFVI) resources lifecycle in more than one edge POD locations, where resources include hardware and/or software, and where software resources lifecycle includes software development, upgrades, downgrades, logging, monitoring etc. Methods are provided for decoupling storage from compute and network functions in each virtual machine (VM)-based NFVI deployment location and moving it to a centralized location. Centralized storage could simultaneously interact with more than one edge PODs, and the security is built-in with periodic key rotation. Methods are provided for increasing NFVI system viability by dedicating (fencing) CPU core pairs for specific controller operations and workload operations, and sharing the CPU cores for specific tasks.

A system is provided that includes one management cluster to manage network function virtualization infrastructure (NFVI) resources lifecycle in more than one edge POD locations, where resources include hardware and/or software, and where software resources lifecycle includes software development, upgrades, downgrades, logging, monitoring etc. Methods are provided for decoupling storage from compute and network functions in each virtual machine (VM)-based NFVI deployment location and moving it to a centralized location. Centralized storage could simultaneously interact with more than one edge PODs, and the security is built-in with periodic key rotation. Methods are provided for increasing NFVI system viability by dedicating (fencing) CPU core pairs for specific controller operations and workload operations, and sharing the CPU cores for specific tasks.

This disclosure provides a time synchronization packet processing method and apparatus. The method includes: A terminal device receives first indication information, where the first indication information indicates the terminal device to enter an activation state of time synchronization for a first clock source, or the first indication information indicates the terminal device to enter a deactivation state of time synchronization; and processes a time synchronization packet of the first clock source based on the first indication information.

A method of coordinating a plurality of radio access networks (RANs) includes aggregating, with a gateway, communications interfaces between a plurality of RANs and a packet core network through the gateway. A plurality of radio nodes (RNs) in each of the RANs is communicatively coupled to the gateway and to user equipment (UE) devices associated with the RNs in each of the RANs. The gateway also controls and coordinates mobility of the UE devices within and among the RANs. In addition, the gateway acts as a virtual enhanced NodeB (eNB) to the packet core network, thereby hiding the aggregated communications interfaces from the packet core network.

A method of coordinating a plurality of radio access networks (RANs) includes aggregating, with a gateway, communications interfaces between a plurality of RANs and a packet core network through the gateway. A plurality of radio nodes (RNs) in each of the RANs is communicatively coupled to the gateway and to user equipment (UE) devices associated with the RNs in each of the RANs. The gateway also controls and coordinates mobility of the UE devices within and among the RANs. In addition, the gateway acts as a virtual enhanced NodeB (eNB) to the packet core network, thereby hiding the aggregated communications interfaces from the packet core network.

Various solutions for single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) based congestion control with respect to user equipment and network apparatus in mobile communications are described. An apparatus may receive a message with a back-off timer from the network node. The apparatus may determine whether an S-NSSAI of a protocol data unit (PDU) session is provided by the network node. The apparatus may start the back-off timer and associate the back-off timer with the S-NSSAI of the PDU session in an event that the S-NSSAI is provided by the network node.

A wireless access point software application, adapted to be run within a wireless access point, classifies network data packets with classification identifiers provided by RTC/RTE devices without scanning the content of them. The wireless access point software application receives inbound and outbound packet classification identifiers from the RTC/RTE applications running on the RTC/RTE devices. The identifiers are provided to a hardware data packet classifier. The hardware data packet classifier applies the identifiers against ingress packets and egress packets respectively. Data packets of the same class are assigned with a same priority. The prioritized network data packets are scheduled for transmission based on their respective priorities. The scheduled network data packets are forwarded to respective network interfaces for transmission.

In some aspects, the SIB1 message is transmitted in a subframe 0 and a subframe 5 of alternating radio frames of the non-anchor carrier. In some aspects, the SIB1 message is transmitted in a subframe 0 of alternating radio frames of the anchor carrier. In some aspects, the frequency domain location parameter is associated with a physical resource block offset relative to a center frequency, and the anchor carrier is in a first frequency range greater than the center frequency by the physical resource block offset and the non-anchor carrier is in a second frequency range less than the center frequency by the physical resource block offset, or the non-anchor carrier is in the first frequency range greater than the center frequency by the physical resource block offset and the anchor carrier is in the second frequency.