Selective handover or redirection based on interface availability

A first radio access network (RAN) comprising:

• a memory, comprising a database, to store availability status information associated with a plurality of interfaces between a mobility management entity (MME) and a plurality of access and mobility management functions (AMFs), wherein the availability status information comprises information indicating an availability status of an interface between an AMF of the plurality of AMFs in a first wireless communication system and the mobility management entity (MME) in a second wireless communication system;
• a transceiver to selectively transmit a handover command or a redirect command towards a user equipment (UE) over an air interface and to receive, from the UE, at least one message over the air interface to initiate a handover or a redirect of the UE between the first RAN and a second RAN;
• and
• a processor to, in response to reception of the at least one message from the UE, selectively perform the handover via the interface or transmit a release over the air interface towards the UE to trigger the redirect via a network element shared by the first and second wireless communication systems based on the availability status.

An apparatus comprising

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory including computer program code,
• the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:
• access, from a database, information indicating an availability status of an interface between an access and mobility management function (AMF) in a first wireless communication system and a mobility management entity (MME) in a second wireless communication system wherein the information accessed from the database comprises availability status information associated with a plurality of interfaces between the MME and a plurality of AMEs;
• receive, from a user equipment (UE), a trigger for a handover of the UE between a first radio access network (RAN) and a second RAN;
• and
• in response to receiving the trigger from the UE, selectively perform the handover via the interface or transmit a release to trigger a redirect via a network element shared by the first and second wireless communication systems based on the availability status.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, are configured to:

• access, from a database, information indicating an availability status of an interface between an access and mobility management function (AMF) in a first wireless communication system and a mobility management entity (MME) in a second wireless communication system, wherein the information accessed from the database comprises availability status information associated with a plurality of interfaces between the MME and a plurality of AMFs;
• receive, from a user equipment (UE), a trigger for a handover of the UE between a first radio access network (RAN) and a second RAN;
• and
• in response to receiving the trigger from the UE, selectively perform the handover via the interface or transmit a release to trigger a redirect via a network element shared by the first and second wireless communication systems based on the availability status.