A binding support method, includes receiving third information from the source policy control network element, wherein the third information comprises session information of a policy session and an identifier of a policy control network element set to which the source policy control network element belongs, receiving a first request message from an application network element to query a target policy control network element that serves the policy session, the first request message comprises the session information of the policy session, the session information of the policy session is used to indicate the policy session, and determining the target policy control network element based on the third information and the first request message.

A method includes generating a payload container information element comprising two or more payload entries at user equipment in a communication system, and sending the payload container information element from the user equipment to at least one network element in the communication system. Another method includes receiving a payload container information element comprising two or more payload entries at a network function in a communication system from user equipment in the communication system, and decoding the two or more payload entries of the payload container information element into two or more individual payloads at the network function.

A method includes generating a payload container information element comprising two or more payload entries at user equipment in a communication system, and sending the payload container information element from the user equipment to at least one network element in the communication system. Another method includes receiving a payload container information element comprising two or more payload entries at a network function in a communication system from user equipment in the communication system, and decoding the two or more payload entries of the payload container information element into two or more individual payloads at the network function.

This application provides a method, an apparatus, and a system for sending a terminal policy. After determining that a terminal is not reachable, a mobility management network element may send, to a visited policy control function network element, a notification indicating that a first message fails to be forwarded. The visited policy control function network element may determine, based on the notification, a first PTI allocated by a home policy control function network element to a first policy, and send, to the home policy control function network element, both the first PTI and the indication indicating that the first message fails to be forwarded, to notify the home policy control function network element.

This application provides a method, an apparatus, and a system for sending a terminal policy. After determining that a terminal is not reachable, a mobility management network element may send, to a visited policy control function network element, a notification indicating that a first message fails to be forwarded. The visited policy control function network element may determine, based on the notification, a first PTI allocated by a home policy control function network element to a first policy, and send, to the home policy control function network element, both the first PTI and the indication indicating that the first message fails to be forwarded, to notify the home policy control function network element.

A method and apparatus of routing a call in a femtocell network are disclosed. In one example call routing method, a call is originated from the mobile station via a femtocell access point and the call is transmitted to a femtocell gateway, a mobile switching center and a carrier gateway server and onto an enterprise gateway server to obtain policy information. A routing policy is determined based on the obtained policy information and the call is routed to its destination based on the routing policy. The call may be routed via local media from a femtocell access point directly to the enterprise gateway server. The call routing procedures may implement the Iuh protocol and/or the session initiation protocol (SIP) for call signaling in the femtocell network. Call routing may be performed in a wireless cellular communications network or an enterprise network environment.

A method and apparatus of routing a call in a femtocell network are disclosed. In one example call routing method, a call is originated from the mobile station via a femtocell access point and the call is transmitted to a femtocell gateway, a mobile switching center and a carrier gateway server and onto an enterprise gateway server to obtain policy information. A routing policy is determined based on the obtained policy information and the call is routed to its destination based on the routing policy. The call may be routed via local media from a femtocell access point directly to the enterprise gateway server. The call routing procedures may implement the Iuh protocol and/or the session initiation protocol (SIP) for call signaling in the femtocell network. Call routing may be performed in a wireless cellular communications network or an enterprise network environment.

Systems and methods are provided herein for handling Quality of Service (QoS) mobility and dual connectivity. In some embodiments, a method of operation of a network node in a cellular communications network includes deciding to split an existing Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session that includes a current uplink tunnel information; and setting up resources for the split PDU session. In this way, it may be possible to support QoS mobility in the different tunnel during dual connectivity. In some embodiments, the network node is a Master Next Generation—Radio Access Network (NG-RAN) node, and setting up resources for the split PDU session includes sending an S-Node Addition/Modification Request including the current uplink tunnel information for the split PDU session to a Secondary NG-RAN node in the cellular communications network; and receiving a newly added additional downlink tunnel information from the Secondary NG-RAN node.

Systems and methods are provided herein for handling Quality of Service (QoS) mobility and dual connectivity. In some embodiments, a method of operation of a network node in a cellular communications network includes deciding to split an existing Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session that includes a current uplink tunnel information; and setting up resources for the split PDU session. In this way, it may be possible to support QoS mobility in the different tunnel during dual connectivity. In some embodiments, the network node is a Master Next Generation—Radio Access Network (NG-RAN) node, and setting up resources for the split PDU session includes sending an S-Node Addition/Modification Request including the current uplink tunnel information for the split PDU session to a Secondary NG-RAN node in the cellular communications network; and receiving a newly added additional downlink tunnel information from the Secondary NG-RAN node.

A method for providing system information (SI) performed by a base station (BS) is provided. The method includes: broadcasting a system information block type 1 (SIB1) associated with a cell; receiving, from a user equipment (UE), a first message including a common control channel (CCCH) service data unit (SDU), the CCCH SDU including a radio resource control (RRC) SI request message; and transmitting, to the UE, a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) including a UE contention resolution identity that matches a portion of the CCCH SDU. The MAC CE enables a MAC entity of the UE to indicate reception of an acknowledgment for the RRC SI request message to an RRC entity of the UE. The SIB1 does not include information related to a Random Access (RA) resource specific to SI requested by the RRC SI request message.