Systems and methods for facilitating connection to a data network in an interworking core network

A method, comprising:

• sending, by a first network device of a core network, via a first interface, an association message to a second network device that is associated with a session management function and a packet data gateway control plane function of the core network;
• receiving, via the first interface, selection information from the second network device;
• selecting, by the first network device and based on the selection information, a third network device associated with a serving gateway user plane function of the core network;
• and
• sending, by the first network device, an additional association message to the third network device via a third interface between the first network device and the third network device to cause the third network device to route traffic for a packet data network (PDN) session between a user device and a data network.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions comprising:

• one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a first network device that is associated with a session management function and a packet data gateway control plane function of a core network, cause the first network device to:
• receive, via a first interface, an association message from a second network device that is associated with a serving gateway control plane function of the core network;
• determine that the second network device is associated with a packet data network (PDN) session for a user device;
• receive, via a second interface, selection information from a third network device associated with a user plane function of the core network;
• and
• send, via the first interface and based on the association message and determining that the second network device is associated with the PDN session, the selection information to the second network device to cause the second network device to:
• select a fourth network device that is associated with a serving gateway user plane function of the core network to route traffic for the PDN session;
• and
• send an additional association message to the fourth network device via a third interface between the second network device and the fourth network device to cause the fourth network device to route traffic for the PDN session between the user device and a data network.