Abstract:
An example method is provided in one example embodiment and may include communicating a message for a group of one or more user equipment (UE) from a machine type communication-interworking function (MTC-IWF) to a packet data network gateway (PGW), wherein the message includes a group identity (ID) associated with the group of one or more UE; communicating the message from the PGW to one or more serving gateways (SGWs); and communicating the message from each of the one or more SGWs to each of the one or more UE of the group of the one via a tunnel for each of the one or more UE.
Abstract:
An example method is provided in one example embodiment and may include determining that a user equipment (UE) is approximately stationary for a threshold period of time within a particular geographic area based, at least in part, on a radio access network (RAN) node to which the UE is attached; notifying the UE that the UE has been associated with the particular geographic area; and transitioning the UE into an idle mode from an active mode, wherein the transitioning is performed without notifying a core network that the UE has transitioned to the idle mode. Determining that the UE is approximately stationary can include monitoring mobility signaling from the UE and comparing an amount of time that the UE has been attached to the RAN node with a threshold period of time. The core network can be notified when the UE moves out of the particular geographic area.
Abstract:
A method is provided in one example embodiment and may include determining a location for a user equipment (UE); determining whether at least one user data plane entity servicing at least one packet data network (PDN) flow for the UE is to be changed based, at least in part, on the location of the UE; if at least one user data plane entity is to be changed, selecting at least one new user data plane entity to service the at least one PDN flow for the UE; allocating a new PDN Internet Protocol (IP) address for the at least one PDN flow for which the user data plane entity is changed; and communicating the new PDN IP address to the UE.
Abstract:
A method is provided in one example embodiment and may include determining a location for a user equipment (UE); determining whether at least one user data plane entity servicing at least one packet data network (PDN) flow for the UE is to be changed based, at least in part, on the location of the UE; if at least one user data plane entity is to be changed, selecting at least one new user data plane entity to service the at least one PDN flow for the UE; allocating a new PDN Internet Protocol (IP) address for the at least one PDN flow for which the user data plane entity is changed; and communicating the new PDN IP address to the UE.
Abstract:
A method is provided in one example embodiment and may include determining that a periodic timer for a user equipment (UE) is about to expire; communicating to an application service, prior to expiration of the periodic timer for the UE, an indication associated with an availability of the UE to receive data from the application service; and communicating the data from the application service to the UE upon receiving the indication. In some cases, the method can include registering, by the application service, to receive the indication from a Mobility Management Entity (MME) or a serving General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) support node (SGSN), wherein the registering is performed via a service capability exposure function (SCEF) in communication with the MME or the SGSN and the application service.
Abstract:
An example method is provided in one example embodiment and may include configuring paging parameters for a group of one or more user equipment (UE) based, at least in part, on a group identifier (ID) for the group of one or more UE; communicating the paging parameters to each of the one or more UE of the group; and paging one or more idle mode UE of the group according to the paging parameters to transition the idle mode UE to a connected mode for receiving a group message. In some instances, configuring the paging parameters can include configuring a paging frame and paging occasion for the group of one or more UE based on the group ID; configuring extended paging cycle radio frames for the group of one or more UE; and/or configuring a paging group Radio Network Temporary Identifier for the group of one or more UE.
Abstract:
In an example, there is disclosed a computing apparatus, having: a processor; a memory; a network interface to communicatively couple to a mobile data network; and an interconnection and routing function (IRF) server engine to: receive an incoming Control plane message from a source network function (NF) via the network interface; examine a header of the incoming Control plane message to determine a destination NF of the Control plane message; and route the Control plane message to the destination NF.
Abstract:
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes detecting user plane congestion at an eNodeB in connection with subscribers of a first one of a plurality of public land management networks (“PLMNs”) sharing a radio access network (“RAN”), identifying one or more of the PLMNs to be notified of the detected congestion in accordance with an agreement between the PLMNs, and reporting RAN congestion information (“RCI”) regarding the detected congestion to only the identified one or more of the PLMNs. The detecting may comprise determining whether detected user plane congestion exceeds a first congestion threshold indicated for the first one of the PLMNs. The method may further comprise terminating the RCI reporting when the detected congestion falls below a second congestion threshold specified for the first one of the PLMNs. The first and second thresholds may be indicated in a table associated with the eNodeB.