User plane for fifth generation cellular architecture

A non-transitory computer accessible memory medium comprising program instructions which, when executed by a mobility management entity (MME), cause the MME to:

• receive, from a base station of a 4G network operating according to a 4G legacy radio access technology (RAT) within the 4G network, an attachment request for a wireless device;
• determine the wireless device is associated with a subscription for a fifth generation (5G) RAT within a 5G network;
• select, based at least in part on determining that the wireless device is associated with the subscription for the 5G network, a first gateway that interfaces the 4G network and the 5G network, wherein the first gateway has a first user plane interface to a first base station of the 5G network and a second user plane interface with the base station of the 4G network through one or more 4G network gateways, wherein the first user plane interface from the first gateway to the first base station of the 5G network does not include any intervening 5G network gateway, and wherein the selection of the first gateway enables internet protocol (IP) address continuity with the first gateway in subsequent connections through a second base station of the 5G network operating according to the 5G RAT;
• send, to the first gateway, a request to create a session to create a connection for the wireless device with the first gateway;
• receive a create session response including session information for connecting to the 5G network;
• and
• send, to the wireless device, a message indicating that attachment to the first gateway was successful.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• at least one processor in communication with the memory, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
• receive, from a base station of a 4G network operating according to a 4G legacy radio access technology (RAT) within the 4G network, an attachment request for a wireless device;
• determine the wireless device is associated with a subscription for a fifth generation (5G) RAT within a 5G network;
• select, based at least in part on determining that the wireless device is associated with the subscription for the 5G network, a first gateway that interfaces the 4G network and the 5G network, wherein the first gateway has a first user plane interface to a first base station of the 5G network and a second user plane interface with the base station of the 4G network through one or more 4G network gateways, wherein the first user plane interface from the first gateway to the first base station of the 5G network does not include any intervening 5G network gateway, and wherein the selection of the first gateway enables internet protocol (IP) address continuity with the first gateway in subsequent connections through a second base station of the 5G network operating according to the 5G RAT;
• generate instructions to send, to the first gateway, a request to create a session to create a connection for the wireless device with the first gateway;
• receive a create session response including session information for connecting to the 5G network;
• and
• generate instructions to send, to the wireless device, a message indicating that attachment to the first gateway was successful.