Analytics driven wireless device session context handover in operator cloud

An apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

• processing circuitry including a memory and processor;
• the processor configured to:
• obtain first information indicating an estimate of an amount of time that a wireless device will stay associated with a current base station;
• obtain second information indicating an estimate of a cost per unit of time;
• determine, based on the first information and the second information, a first cost of not handing over a wireless device session context;
• determine a second cost of handing over the wireless device session context, wherein the second cost is based at least in part on at least one of context-related data, base station load, backhaul load, or backhaul delay;
• compare the first cost and the second cost;
• decide whether or not to handover the wireless device session context based on the comparison of the first cost and the second cost;
• and
• send a handover trigger as a result of deciding to handover the wireless device session context.

An apparatus for determining whether to perform a user equipment, wireless device, session context handover, the apparatus including:

• processing circuitry;
• and
• memory, the memory storing:
• a non-handover cost determination module configured to determine a first cost of not handing over a wireless device session context based on i) an estimate of an amount of time a wireless device associated with the wireless device session context will stay associated with a current base station and ii) an estimate of a cost per unit time of not performing the handover;
• a handover cost determination module configured to determine a second cost of handing over the wireless device session context based at least in part on at least one of context-related data, base station load, backhaul load, or backhaul delay;
• a comparison module configured to compare the first cost and the second cost;
• a decision module configured to decide to handover the wireless device session context based on the comparison of the first cost and the second cost;
• and
• a handover module configured to send a handover trigger when a handover decision is made.