Method and apparatus for network access

A method at an Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) server for facilitating a terminal device without a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card to access a first network via a second network, the terminal device without a SIM card being Fast Identity Online (FIDO) enabled, the method comprising:

• in response to receipt of an authentication request from the terminal device without a SIM card, obtaining registration information from a FIDO server, the registration information comprising at least association information for the terminal device without a SIM card indicative of an association between the terminal device without a SIM card and a user subscription account, wherein the association information comprises a user identity shared by a SIM device and the terminal device without a SIM card;
• verifying an identity of the terminal device without a SIM card with the registration information so as to trigger authentication of the terminal device without a SIM card by the AAA server;
• and
• authenticating the terminal device without a SIM card according to an Extensible Authentication Protocol-Transport Layer Security (EAP-TLS) protocol extended with FIDO authentication data to access the first network via the second network.

A method at a terminal device without a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card for facilitating the terminal device without a SIM card to access a first network via a second network, the terminal device without a SIM card being Fast Identity Online (FIDO) enabled, the method comprising:

• obtaining routing information directed to a FIDO server and authentication information for registration with the FIDO server;
• requesting registration with the FIDO server via a request message comprising at least the authentication information;
• registering with the FIDO server according to a set of FIDO Alliance specifications based at least on association information for the terminal device without a SIM card and the authentication information, wherein the association information comprises a user identity shared by a SIM device and the terminal device without a SIM card;
• and
• initiating an authentication procedure with an Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) server to access the first network via the second network.

A terminal device without a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card and being Fast Identity Online (FIDO) enabled, the terminal device without a SIM card comprising a processor and a memory, the memory containing instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the terminal device without a SIM card to:

• obtain routing information directed to a FIDO server and authentication information for registration with the FIDO server;
• request registration with the FIDO server via a request message comprising at least the authentication information;
• register with the FIDO server according to a set of FIDO Alliance specifications based at least on association information for the terminal device without a SIM card and the authentication information, wherein the association information comprises a user identity shared by a SIM device and the terminal device without a SIM card;
• and
• initiate an authentication procedure with an Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) server to access a first network via a second network.