Systems and techniques that allow a mobile device to intelligently steer wireless data traffic among various wireless networks, including cellular networks and/or wireless local area networks (WLAN), is disclosed. The mobile device selects a wireless network to steer the data traffic by following a set of wireless network selection rules or policies. Such rules and policies may include rules for deciding whether to use WLAN, which WLAN hotspots to use, whose WLAN hotspot to use, etc. The policies or rules for steering wireless data traffic may be provided in accordance with Access Network Discovery and Selection Function (ANDSF), which is a framework for specifying and delivering access network selection policies to mobile devices. The network selection is based on (i) account information associated with the mobile device, (ii) network metrics measuring data processing capacity for at least one of the wireless networks, and (iii) location of the mobile device.

Apparatus and methods to support emergency services through untrusted wireless networks by a user equipment (UE) are disclosed. The UE detects a request for emergency services to be provided via an untrusted wireless network. The UE de-registers from any non-emergency services and releases any existing PDN connections. The UE sends a request for emergency services to an evolved packet data gateway (ePDG) at an Internet Protocol (IP) address obtained from a table or from a domain name system (DNS) server. The request includes an indication for emergency services using a configuration attribute assigned to indicate emergency services. The UE receives from the ePDG an indication of support for emergency services in a reply to the request.

Various types of communication may switch from an unlicensed spectrum to a licensed spectrum. MiCr communication may be synchronized based on transmission time intervals (TTIs), which may improve the duration required to switch between bands. A MiCr system may transmit a signal to temporarily suspend other traffic in a licensed band so that MiCr communication may occur. For example, an apparatus may be configured to determine synchronization between a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second RAT based on transmission time intervals associated with the first RAT and transmission time intervals associated with the second RAT, switch from the first RAT to the second RAT after the determined synchronization between the first RAT the second RAT; and transmit, during a TTI associated with the second RAT, a first packet using the second RAT based on the switch from the first RAT to the second RAT.

According to one configuration, a mobile communication device receives first communications over a first wireless communication link from a first wireless network (which potentially supports data only communications). The first communications received over the first wireless network can include a message indicating a pending incoming call available over a second wireless network (which potentially supports voice/call communications). In response to receiving the message indicating the pending incoming call, the mobile communication device is operated to receive second communications (such as a paging signal) from over the second wireless network. For example, the mobile communication device listens for a paging signal from the second wireless network further indicating the pending incoming call. If desired, an operator of the mobile communication device can accept the incoming call via a second wireless communication link to the second wireless network.

Concepts and technologies disclosed herein are directed to session continuity between software-defined network (SDN) controlled and non-SDN controlled wireless networks. In one embodiment, an SDN controller can determine that a handover of a user equipment (UE) from a base station operating under control of the SDN-controlled network to a further base station operating under control of a non-SDN-controlled network has occurred. The SDN controller can establish over an interface between the SDN controller and a packet gateway (P-GW), a tunnel through which to exchange handover data associated with the handover and a session IP address for a session in which the UE is involved. The SDN controller can provide, over the interface and through the tunnel, the handover data and the session IP address to the P-GW.

A mobile communication device includes, in part, a cellular communication module, a first antenna adapted to receive and transmit data between the mobile communication module and a cellular network, a Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) communication module, a second antenna adapted to receive and transmit data between the Wi-Fi communication module and a VoIP network, a signal monitoring circuit, and a switching circuit adapted to switch an existing communication from the cellular communication module to the Wi-Fi communication module or vice versa.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to mechanisms for interworking between legacy and next generation radio access technologies (RATs) in a communication network. In some examples, a handover from a legacy access network to a next generation access network may be performed via a next generation core network. A handover request received at a next generation core network serving node may include an identifier of a next generation target cell. The next generation core network serving node may identify another next generation core network serving node to which the handover may be forwarded based on the target cell identifier or may select the next generation access network based on the target cell identifier. The next generation core network serving node may then communicate with the next generation access network to complete the handover.

Techniques for deriving a WLAN security context from an existing WWAN security context are provided. According to certain aspects, a user equipment (UE) establishes a secure connection with a wireless wide area network (WWAN). The UE may receive from the WWAN an indication of a wireless local area network (WLAN) for which to derive a security context. The UE then derives the security context for the WLAN, based on a security context for the WWAN obtained while establishing the secure connection with the WWAN and establishes a secure connection with the WLAN using the derived security context for the WLAN. This permits the UE to establish a Robust Security Network Association (RSNA) with the WLAN while avoiding lengthy authentication procedures with an AAA server, thus speeding up the association process.

Methods and systems are provided herein for selecting networks for a mobile communications device. Methods for selecting a network connection for a mobile communications device may include receiving signals that comprise location information of the mobile communications device and selecting a first network type or a second network type for the mobile communications device based upon a magnitude of movement of the mobile communications device determined from the location information, the first network type comprising a network that is capable of handing off active sessions for the mobile communications device, the second network type comprising a network that having a reduced capacity or no capacity to hand off active sessions for the mobile communications device.

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a measurement method, including: acquiring, by user equipment, a status of using a target unlicensed frequency band by a target radio access technology RAT; and selecting, by the user equipment, a corresponding measurement mode according to the usage status to measure a radio condition of the target unlicensed frequency band. The embodiments of the present invention further disclose user equipment, a network device, and a system. In the present invention, the user equipment can accurately measure the radio condition of the unlicensed frequency band, so as to provide reference information for the network device to schedule the user equipment.