Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to for handover. In response to reception of a request for handover of a second device from a third device to a first device, the first device transmit to the third device an indication that a radio bearer for the second device is to be changed from a split bearer terminated in a fourth device to a Master Cell Group bearer terminated in the first device, the second device being in dual connectivity with the third and fourth devices. The first device receives from the third device a transmission status of data associated with the radio bearer.

The present disclosure relates to integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node dual connectivity setup methods and communication apparatus. In one example method, a first IAB node sets up a first F1 interface with a primary donor node of the first IAB node. The first IAB node obtains an internet protocol (IP) address anchored at a secondary donor node connected to the first IAB node and/or configuration information of a serving cell, of the first IAB node, belonging to the secondary donor node. The first IAB node sends, to the secondary donor node, a request for setting up a second F1 interface with the secondary donor node, where the request includes the configuration information of the serving cell, of the first IAB node, belonging to the secondary donor node.

A method is provided for improvising handover in a mobile station configured to operate a time division multiple access, TDMA, protocol in a global system for mobile communications, GSM, telecommunication network. The method comprises the steps of receiving a handover command requesting that the mobile station perform a handover operation from a serving cell to a target cell, and configuring the mobile station to transmit and receive user plane data with the serving cell and the target cell during a time period between receiving the handover command and the handover operation being completed.

The present disclosure relates to a pre-5.sup.th-Generation (5G) or 5G communication system to be provided for supporting higher data rates Beyond 4.sup.th-Generation (4G) communication system such as Long Term Evolution (LTE). The present disclosure provides apparatus and method for controlling data flow in wireless communication system. According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a method of managing a data flow in a wireless communication system comprises controlling a quality of service (QoS) flow to be transferred from a first data radio bearer (DRB) to a second DRB. Herein, the QoS flow is a flow of data carried by a DRB between a terminal and at least one network entity.

Disclosed is a technique for switching from a master node to a secondary node in a communication system. A method of a first communication node may comprise: adding the first communication node as a primary secondary cell (PSCell) to a second communication node through dual connectivity (DC); generating a first user plane path for smart dynamic switching (SDS) and a first instance for supporting the first user plane path according to a request from the second communication node; transmitting information on the first user plane path and the first instance to a terminal; receiving user data based on the first user plane path from the terminal as the first instance; and transmitting the user data to a core network using the first user plane path.

A method of operating a session management function SMF entity of a wireless communication network may be provided. An Ethernet context for a wireless terminal may be received from a first user plane function UPF entity, wherein the Ethernet context is provided for an Ethernet Protocol Data Unit PDU Session for the wireless terminal using the first UPF entity, and wherein the Ethernet context includes a Medium Access Control MAC address for the wireless terminal. The Ethernet context including the MAC address for the wireless terminal may be transmitted to a second UPF entity. Related methods of operating user plane function UPF entities of a wireless communication network may also be provided.

After receiving a handover command (22) that commands a wireless device (16) to perform a make-before-break handover (24), the wireless device (16) continues to receive from a source link (20-0) downlink data packets for an unacknowledged mode bearer (21), until after the wireless device (16) establishes a connection with the target link (20-1) as part of the handover. After the wireless device (16) establishes the connection with the target link (20-1), the wireless device (16) receives from the target link (20-1) downlink data packets for the unacknowledged mode bearer (21). The wireless device (16) preserves a downlink data packet sequence number receiver status for the unacknowledged mode bearer (21), by using the same downlink data packet sequence number receiver status for the unacknowledged mode bearer (21) before and after the handover. Based on the downlink data packet sequence number receiver status as preserved, the wireless device (16) monitors for data packets received in duplicate from the source link (20-0) and the target link (20-1) for the unacknowledged mode bearer (21).

A network access method, a relevant device and a system are provided. The network access method includes: storing, by a UE, identifier information of a network node that the UE accesses via a first RAN; and transmitting, by the UE, a connection establishment request comprising the identifier information of the network node to a second RAN while the UE maintains the connection to the first RAN, to enable the second RAN to select the network node for the UE as a network node that the UE accesses via the second RAN.

A network device in a wireless communication system includes a first communication circuit that receives a first control-plane message from a base station (BS) over a first communication link; a second communication circuit that transmits user-plane data to a user equipment (UE) over a second communication link established responsive to the first control-plane message; and a third communication circuit that receives the user-plane traffic data from a server over a third communication link. The UE communicates user-plane data with the BS and the network device simultaneously at a predetermined time. The first communication circuit receives a second control-plane message from the BS. The second communication circuit transmits a pilot signal to the UE responsive to the second control-plane message to enable the UE to measure a radio link quality of the second communication link using the pilot signal. The second communication link is maintained, at least in part, based on the radio link quality of the second communication link.

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method including receiving, from a first network, a first node identifier associated with a second network, transmitting the first node identifier to a small cell node, receiving a handover initiation signal from the first network responsive to a request for a handover, from a macro cell node of the second network to the small cell node of the first network, of a communication session associated with a first wireless communication link to a communication device, where the request is triggered at the second network responsive to identification of the first node identifier in a first wireless signal from the communication device, and where the first node identifier is obtained by the communication device via a second wireless signal from the small cell node, and facilitating a second wireless communication link to the communication device via the small cell node to complete the handover. Other embodiments are disclosed.