The present disclosure provides a cell handover method, a cell handover processing method, a terminal, and a network device, and the method includes: receiving a handover command sent by a first network node, where the handover command includes first slice information, the first slice information is used to indicate N slices, and N is a positive integer; and sending a random access request to a target slice of a target cell, where the target slice is one of the N slices.

A method and apparatus for network slice handover (HO) are provided. The method includes the following. A target base station receives an HO request transmitted by a source base station. The target base station determines whether to perform slice remapping. A network device, includes a transceiver, a processor; and a memory storing programs which, when executed by the processor, are operable with the processor to perform the method.

Apparatuses, methods, and systems are disclosed for indicating a packet data unit session as unavailable. One apparatus includes a processor that determines that at least one packet data unit session is unavailable. The apparatus includes a transmitter that transmits information indicating that the at least one packet data unit session is to be released.

There are provided measures for improved service continuity with mobile edge computing. Such measures exemplarily comprise detecting a handover of a communication endpoint from a first gateway to a second gateway, determining, whether an ongoing mobile edge computing related application session of said communication endpoint is routed by said first gateway, checking, upon positive result of said determining, whether said ongoing mobile edge computing related application session fulfills a predetermined condition, and initiating, upon positive result of said checking, a swap of said ongoing mobile edge computing related application session from said first gateway and a first mobile edge computing entity connected to said first gateway to said second gateway and a second mobile edge computing entity connected to said second gateway.

There are provided measures for improved service continuity with mobile edge computing. Such measures exemplarily comprise detecting a handover of a communication endpoint from a first gateway to a second gateway, determining, whether an ongoing mobile edge computing related application session of said communication endpoint is routed by said first gateway, checking, upon positive result of said determining, whether said ongoing mobile edge computing related application session fulfills a predetermined condition, and initiating, upon positive result of said checking, a swap of said ongoing mobile edge computing related application session from said first gateway and a first mobile edge computing entity connected to said first gateway to said second gateway and a second mobile edge computing entity connected to said second gateway.

A radio terminal (1) determines that the radio terminal (1) is approaching a first station (5), receives from a center server (4) a cell identifier of a first cell corresponding to an entrance gate function (53) of the first station (5), and transmit a message containing the cell identifier to a cellular communication network. The message causes the network to add the first cell (54) as a secondary cell in dual connectivity for the radio terminal (1), enabling the radio terminal (1) to communicate with the entrance gate function (53) via a user plane path including a radio connection of the first cell (54). The radio terminal (1) then communicates with the entrance gate function (53) via the user plane path. This contributes, for example, to reducing latency required to transmit or receive user data in a narrow coverage cell when a radio terminal receives a signal from that cell.

A radio terminal (1) determines that the radio terminal (1) is approaching a first station (5), receives from a center server (4) a cell identifier of a first cell corresponding to an entrance gate function (53) of the first station (5), and transmit a message containing the cell identifier to a cellular communication network. The message causes the network to add the first cell (54) as a secondary cell in dual connectivity for the radio terminal (1), enabling the radio terminal (1) to communicate with the entrance gate function (53) via a user plane path including a radio connection of the first cell (54). The radio terminal (1) then communicates with the entrance gate function (53) via the user plane path. This contributes, for example, to reducing latency required to transmit or receive user data in a narrow coverage cell when a radio terminal receives a signal from that cell.

This disclosure discloses communication methods and apparatuses. One example method includes: obtaining slice information of a session, sending a first message to a network function repository function network element, and receiving identification information of an intermediate session management function network element from the network function repository function network element. The intermediate session management function network element is configured to manage an intermediate user plane function network element, and the intermediate user plane function network element is configured to forward service data between an access network device to which a terminal is connected and an anchor user plane function network element in response to the terminal moving out of a service area of the anchor user plane function network element and a service area of an anchor session management function network element.

Improvement of data throughput via backhaul sharing is accomplished by accessing a cell site servicing data transmission at a first data rate and a connected backhaul network having a backhaul data rate. A determination of whether the first data rate exceeds the backhaul data rate is made and an excess data rate is determined. When the first data rate exceeds the backhaul data rate a neighboring cell site having a second backhaul networks is accessed. A determination is made of how much additional capacity the second backhaul network can handle. When the neighboring cell site can handle the excess data rate backhaul sharing using beamforming is initiated.

A system described herein may provide a technique for the seamless transfer of services provided by a first Multi-Access/Mobile Edge Computing device (“MEC”) to a User Equipment (“UE”), to a second MEC. Context information associated with a given application for which services are provided by the first MEC may be cached by the UE based on a determination that the second MEC should provide the services, and the UE may provide the cached information to the second MEC in order to seamlessly continue receiving services. The providing of the cached information to the UE and/or to the second MEC may be performed with an elevated priority level, in order to facilitate the seamless providing of the services relating to the application, thus resulting in minimal to no interruption of the user experience associated with the application.