A service server of a service provider issues an instruction for switching regarding a network slice to be applied to a user terminal.

The network-slice control server receives, from the service server of the service provider, the instruction for switching to the network slice to be applied to the user terminal. The network-slice control server transmits, to a subscriber management server, an instruction for changing subscriber information regarding the user terminal, on the basis of the instruction for switching to the network slice received from the service server. Thus, the subscriber information regarding the user terminal is changed in the subscriber management server.

Embodiments provide techniques for providing return-link routing in a hybrid communications network that includes a number of different networks having different characteristics. User terminal routing systems (UTRSs) provide interfaces between local user networks and the multiple communications networks of the hybrid network. Each UTRS can include a routing table having stored mappings that are populated according to forward-link communications (implicitly or explicitly), each associating a respective one of a plurality of routing table entries with one of the communications networks. When a UTRS receives return-link data from its respective local user network, the received data indicates a destination node. The UTRS can determine which of the stored mappings corresponds to the destination node and can route the received return-link data over a selected one of the communications networks in accordance with the identified one of the mappings.

Methods, apparatus, and systems for providing effective slice-level load metrics reporting and load balancing are disclosed. In one example aspect, a wireless communication method includes transmitting, by a first network element, a request to a second network element requesting resource status at a slice level of a slice. The slice represents a logical network of a physical network infrastructure. The method also includes receiving, by the first network element, load information at the slice level from the second network element in response to the request.

Embodiments generally relate to a virtual gateway for multiple network connection routes. In some embodiments, a method includes identifying at least one server for sourcing data. The method further includes establishing a first network connection to a first network associated with the at least one server. The method further includes fetching data from the at least one server via the first network based on a first network protocol. The method further includes establishing a second network connection to a second network associated with the at least one server. The method further includes switching from the first network to the second network based on one or more selection policies. The method further includes fetching data from the at least one server via the second network based on a second network protocol.

A method for UE route selection policy (URSP) rule matching is proposed. URSP is used by a UE to determine if a detected application can be associated to an established PDU session, can be offload to non-3GPP access outside a PDU session, or can trigger the establishment of a new PDU session. The UE first finds a non-default URSP rule with a matching traffic descriptor to the application. When the UE fails to find existing PDU session or setup new PDU session with any or the route selection descriptors of the non-default URSP rule, the UE moves to another non-default URSP rule, if any, and try the matching. If all non-default URSP rules cannot be matched with the application, then the UE tries the default URSP rule, which includes a match-all traffic descriptor.

A method of 5G session management (5GSM) state mapping is proposed when interworking. For each PDU session in 5GSM state of PDU SESSION active, PDU SESSION MODIFICATION PENDING, or PDU SESSION INACTIVE PENDING, UE maps the PDU session to a PDN connection in 4G ESM state BEARER CONTEXT ACTIVE. For any other PDU session in 5GSM state of PDU SESSION inactive, or PDU SESSION ACTIVE PENDING, UE maps the PDU session to a PDN connection in 4G ESM state BEARER CONTEXT INACTIVE.

A method at enhanced error handling for 5G QoS operations is proposed. A PDU session defines the association between the UE and the data network that provides a PDU connectivity service. Each PDU session is identified by a PDU session ID, and may include multiple QoS flows and QoS rules. Within a PDU session, there should be one and only one default QoS rule. The default QoS rule indication (DQR) and the QoS flow identifier (QFI) of QoS rule should not be changed. When the QoS operation carried by the command message is “Modify existing QoS rule and delete packet filters”, then it is defined as a semantic error in the QoS operation if all the packet filters of a QoS rule are deleted, and the QoS rule is a QoS rule of a PDU session of IPv4, IPv6, IPv4v6, or Ethernet PDU session type.

A method of QoS rule management with enhanced handling on QoS flow description is proposed. UE checks QoS configuration received from the network for QoS operation errors. When UE receives a QoS rule associated with a specific QFI but has no QoS flow description for the QFI, UE further determines whether the QoS rule is of a GBR QoS flow. If so, UE detects a QoS operation error. If the QoS rule is the default QoS rule, then UE releases the PDU session. If the QoS rule is not the default QoS rule, then UE either rejects a PDU session modification command that carries the QoS rule or deletes the QoS rule carried by a PDU session establishment accept with a 5GSM cause value indicating the QoS operation error.

A method for UE route selection policy (URSP) rule matching is proposed. URSP is used by a UE to determine if a detected application can be associated to an established PDU session, can be offload to non-3GPP access outside a PDU session, or can trigger the establishment of a new PDU session. The UE first finds a non-default URSP rule with a matching traffic descriptor to the application. When the UE fails to find existing PDU session or setup new PDU session with any or the route selection descriptors of the non-default URSP rule, the UE moves to another non-default URSP rule, if any, and try the matching. If all non-default URSP rules cannot be matched with the application, then the UE tries the default URSP rule, which includes a match-all traffic descriptor.

Embodiments provide techniques for providing return-link routing in a hybrid communications network that includes a number of different networks having different characteristics. User terminal routing systems (UTRSs) provide interfaces between local user networks and the multiple communications networks of the hybrid network. Each UTRS can include a routing table having stored mappings that are populated according to forward-link communications (implicitly or explicitly), each associating a respective one of a plurality of routing table entries with one of the communications networks. When a UTRS receives return-link data from its respective local user network, the received data indicates a destination node. The UTRS can determine which of the stored mappings corresponds to the destination node and can route the received return-link data over a selected one of the communications networks in accordance with the identified one of the mappings.