Techniques for decoupling authentication and subscription management from a home subscriber server

One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, comprising:

• obtaining, by an authentication function from a function of a cellular access, an access request message associated with authenticating a device for connecting the device to the cellular access, wherein the access request message comprises a first identifier for the device that is associated with the cellular access and a password associated with the cellular access;
• generating authentication information for authenticating the device for connecting the device to the cellular access based on identifying the first identifier for the device as being associated with the cellular access and identifying the password associated with the cellular access within the access request message, wherein the authentication information is generated using an using an Authentication and Key Agreement (AKA) mechanism and the authentication information comprises an authentication vector for authenticating the device for connecting to the cellular access;
• and
• generating, for transmission, an access accept message for connecting the device to the cellular access, wherein the access accept message comprises the first identifier for the device, a second identifier for the device associated with a wireless local area network access, and the authentication information.

A system comprising:

• at least one memory element for storing data;
• and
• at least one processor for executing instructions associated with the data, wherein executing the instructions causes the system to perform operations, comprising:
• obtaining, by an authentication function from a function of a cellular access, an access request message associated with authenticating a device for connecting the device to the cellular access, wherein the access request message comprises a first identifier for the device that is associated with the cellular access and a password associated with the cellular access;
• generating authentication information for authenticating the device for connecting the device to the cellular access based on identifying the first identifier for the device as being associated with the cellular access and identifying the password associated with the cellular access within the access request message, wherein the authentication information is generated using an using an Authentication and Key Agreement (AKA) mechanism and the authentication information comprises an authentication vector for authenticating the device for connecting to the cellular access;
• and
• generating, for transmission, an access accept message for connecting the device to the cellular access, wherein the access accept message comprises the first identifier for the device, a second identifier for the device associated with a wireless local area network access, and the authentication information.