Method and apparatus for network controlled radio resource control connection establishment

An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor of a core network apparatus, cause the core network apparatus at least to:

• receive a registration request originated from a user equipment in a communication network;
• construct a registration accept message, wherein the registration accept message includes an indication comprising an access stratum connection establishment network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) inclusion mode parameter, the access stratum connection establishment NSSAI inclusion mode parameter defining whether NSSAI should be included by the user equipment in an access stratum connection establishment procedure, wherein the access stratum connection establishment NSSAI inclusion mode parameter is derived based on a set of policies implemented in one or more radio access nodes in a registration area of the communication network;
• cause transmission of the registration accept message towards the user equipment;
• and
• receive a connection establishment message originated from the user equipment according to the access stratum connection establishment network slice selection assistance information inclusion mode parameter.

A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions comprising program code instructions configured, upon execution by a processor of a core network apparatus, to cause the core network apparatus to:

• receive a registration request originated from a user equipment in a communication network;
• construct a registration accept message, wherein the registration accept message includes an indication comprising an access stratum connection establishment network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) inclusion mode parameter, the access stratum connection establishment NSSAI inclusion mode parameter defining whether NSSAI should be included by the user equipment in an access stratum connection establishment procedure, wherein the access stratum connection establishment NSSAI inclusion mode parameter is derived based on a set of policies implemented in one or more radio access nodes in a registration area of the communication network;
• cause transmission of the registration accept message towards the user equipment;
• and
• receive a connection establishment message originated from the user equipment according to the access stratum connection establishment network slice selection assistance information inclusion mode parameter.

A user equipment apparatus of a communication network, the user equipment apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the user equipment apparatus at least to:

• provide, to a core network of the communication network, a registration request originated from the user equipment apparatus;
• receive a registration accept message from the core network, the registration accept message comprising an access stratum connection establishment network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) inclusion mode parameter, the access stratum connection establishment NSSAI inclusion mode parameter defining whether NSSAI should be included by the user equipment apparatus in an access stratum connection establishment procedure, wherein the access stratum connection establishment network slice selection assistance information inclusion mode parameter is derived based on a set of policies implemented in one or more radio access nodes in a registration area of the communication network;
• generate a connection establishment message according to the access stratum connection establishment network slice selection assistance information inclusion mode parameter;
• and
• cause transmission of the connection establishment message towards the core network.

A method performed by a user equipment of a communication network, the method comprising:

• providing, to a core network of the communication network, a registration request originated from the user equipment;
• receiving a registration accept message from the core network, the registration accept message comprising an access stratum connection establishment network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) inclusion mode parameter, the access stratum connection establishment NSSAI inclusion mode parameter defining whether NSSAI should be included by the user equipment apparatus in an access stratum connection establishment procedure, wherein the access stratum connection establishment network slice selection assistance information inclusion mode parameter is derived based on a set of policies implemented in one or more radio access nodes in a registration area of the communication network;
• generating a connection establishment message according to the access stratum connection establishment network slice selection assistance information inclusion mode parameter;
• and
• causing transmission of the connection establishment message towards the core network.

A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions comprising program code instructions configured, upon execution by a processor of a user equipment apparatus, cause the user equipment apparatus to:

• provide, to a core network of the communication network, a registration request originated from the user equipment apparatus;
• receive, at a user equipment, a registration accept message from the core network, the registration accept message comprising an access stratum connection establishment network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) inclusion mode parameter, the access stratum connection establishment NSSAI inclusion mode parameter defining whether NSSAI should be included by the user equipment apparatus in an access stratum connection establishment procedure, wherein the access stratum connection establishment network slice selection assistance information inclusion mode parameter is derived based on a set of policies implemented in one or more radio access nodes in a registration area of the communication network;
• generate a connection establishment message according to the access stratum connection establishment network slice selection assistance information inclusion mode parameter;
• and
• cause transmission of the connection establishment message towards the core network.