Methods and apparatus for activating a purchased or previously deployed device by a subscriber. In one embodiment, activation includes authenticating the device to a service provider or carrier, and providing the device with data necessary for enabling the service to the device. In one variant, a user device is activated at a retail store, with the assistance of a carrier representative. In another variant, user equipment is activated via a communications network without the assistance of a representative. In yet another variant, the user equipment is activated via the Internet without the assistance of a representative. The provision of access data includes pre-assigning eSIM from a population of unassigned eSIMs to certain devices for various carrier networks. Alternatively, the eSIM may be assigned on an as-needed basis. Unassigned and/or unused eSIMs can be released (or sold back to the vendor) and/or reused. Solutions for eSIM backup and restoration are also described.

A location management device function is provided in an access network, and a base station identifies and authenticates a terminal device permitted to perform base station loopback communication on the basis of identification information on the terminal device received from the terminal device. With this configuration, provided is a communication control method and the like for the base station device that has lost connectivity to a core network, to permit only specific terminals to perform base station loopback communication.

A location management device function is provided in an access network, and a base station identifies and authenticates a terminal device permitted to perform base station loopback communication on the basis of identification information on the terminal device received from the terminal device. With this configuration, provided is a communication control method and the like for the base station device that has lost connectivity to a core network, to permit only specific terminals to perform base station loopback communication.

Examples disclosed herein involve receiving a request from a calling device to establish a communication session between a mobile device and the calling device, the mobile device assigned a virtual telephone number, retrieving location information corresponding to a location of the mobile device from a location register, and sending a redirect to a session border controller (SBC) to establish the communication session between the calling device and the mobile device based on the location information.

Examples disclosed herein involve receiving a request from a calling device to establish a communication session between a mobile device and the calling device, the mobile device assigned a virtual telephone number, retrieving location information corresponding to a location of the mobile device from a location register, and sending a redirect to a session border controller (SBC) to establish the communication session between the calling device and the mobile device based on the location information.

A reporting method includes: obtaining an address that is assigned to a target device and that is included in a control signal used for a communication with an access point in a plurality of access points; storing identification information in a storage in association with the address of the target device; storing, when receiving report destination information, the report destination information in the storage in association with the address of the target device if identification information reported in association with the report destination information is stored in the storage; referring to the storage when obtaining information of a control signal received by one of the plurality of access points; and reporting, when a source address of the control signal exists in the storage, to a report destination stored in association with the source address that there is an access from the target device.

Methods, systems, and storage media are described for the utilization of user equipment (UE) identifiers for registration in fifth generation (5G) systems. An apparatus of a user equipment includes processing circuitry to: retrieve a first 5G-GUTI from a memory; generate a registration request message that includes the first 5G-GUTI; encode the registration request message for transmission to a fifth-generation core (5GC) network of a second PLMN; receive a registration accept message that includes a second 5G-GUTI; and access the second PLMN using the second 5G-GUTI.

Methods, systems, and storage media are described for the utilization of user equipment (UE) identifiers for registration in fifth generation (5G) systems. An apparatus of a user equipment includes processing circuitry to: retrieve a first 5G-GUTI from a memory; generate a registration request message that includes the first 5G-GUTI; encode the registration request message for transmission to a fifth-generation core (5GC) network of a second PLMN; receive a registration accept message that includes a second 5G-GUTI; and access the second PLMN using the second 5G-GUTI.

Apparatuses and methods in a communication system are provided. A first radio resource connection, RRC, with a Radio Access Network, RAN, node is established (502) by a device, the connection having a first Radio Network Temporary Identifier and being associated with a first subscription identity. An RRC setup procedure for establishing a second RRC is performed (504), the connection being associated with a second subscription identity. During or after the RRC setup it is indicated to the RAN node that the device has an existing radio resource connection with the node. A second Radio Network Temporary Identifier associated with the second radio resource connection and an additional Radio Network Temporary Identifier common to the first and second radio resource connections are received (506) and the common Identifier is used (508) for communication with the RAN node.

Disclosed are an information processing method and a related network device. The method comprises: a session management function (SMF) obtaining first address information of a local domain name system (DNS) server; sending the first address information to an uplink classifier; and sending, by means of an access and mobility management function (AMF), the first address information to a user equipment (UE), wherein the first address information is used for the UE to update the IP address of local DNS server.