Apparatus, methods, and computer programs

A user equipment (UE) comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the UE at least to perform operations, the operations comprising:
• signalling, to a network, an indication that the UE is associated with a replication handling function, the replication handling function being configured to coordinate the UE to perform replication of at least part of user traffic;
• receiving, from the network in response to said signalling, a set of replication rules for use by the replication handling function, the set of replication rules comprising a first replication rule indicating when replication of the at least part of said user traffic is to be performed;
• and
• providing the set of replication rules to the replication handling function;
• sending, to the network, a first request to establish a first data session for the UE;
• receiving, from the network, a first response to the first request, the first response including session bundling information that indicates the first data session is to be part of a bundle of data sessions, wherein the session bundling information comprises a bundle identifier and information about a user plane entity of the network that is selected for the first data session;
• sending, towards the network, a second request to establish, for the UE, a second data session, the second request comprising the session bundling information;
• receiving, from the network, a second response to the second request, the second response indicating that the second data session has been established between the UE and the user plane entity;
• receiving, from a replication handling function associated with the UE, user data of the UE and a replicate of the user data of the UE;
• sending the user data towards the user plane entity over the first data session;
• and
• sending the replicate of the user data towards the user plane entity over the second data session.

A method comprising:

• receiving, from a first user equipment, an indication indicating that the user equipment that is configured to transmit user traffic is associated with a first replication handling function, the first replication handling function being configured to coordinate replication of at least part of said user traffic;
• determining, before establishment of a first data session between the user equipment and a user plane entity of a network, a first set of replication rules for use by the first replication handling function, the first set of replication rules comprising a bundling identifier that indicates that at least one data session of the user equipment is to be linked to at least one other data session, wherein the determining the first set of replication rules comprises determining a first replication rule of the first set of replication rules that indicates when the replication of the at least part of said user plane traffic is to be performed;
• providing the first set of replication rules to the first replication handling function;
• identifying a second replication handling function associated with the user plane entity, wherein the user plane function is configured to receive the at least part of said user traffic;
• determining, before establishment of a second data session between the user equipment and the user plane entity, a second set of replication rules for use by the second replication handling function, wherein the determining the second set of replication rules comprises determining a replication rule of the second set of replication rules that indicates when to discard the at least part of user traffic that is replicated;
• and
• providing the second set of replication rules to the second replication handling function.

A method of a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

• signalling, to a network, an indication of association of the UE with a replication handling function, the replication handling function being configured to coordinate the UE to perform replication of at least part of user traffic;
• receiving, from the network in response to said signalling, a set of replication rules for use by the replication handling function, the set of replication rules comprising a first replication rule indicating when replication of the least part of the user traffic is to be performed;
• providing the set of replication rules to the replication handling function;
• sending, to the network, a first request to establish a first data session for the UE;
• receiving, from the network, a first response to the first request, the first response including session bundling information that indicates the first data session is to be part of a bundle of data sessions, wherein the session bundling information comprises a bundle identifier and information about a user plane entity of the network that is selected for the first data session;
• sending, towards the network, a second request to establish, for the UE, a second data session, the second request comprising the session bundling information;
• receiving, from the network, a second response to the second request, the second response indicating that the second data session has been established between the UE and the user plane entity;
• receiving, from a replication handling function associated with the UE, user data of the UE and a replicate of the user data of the UE;
• sending the user data towards the user plane entity over the first data session;
• and
• sending the replicate of the user data towards the user plane entity over the second data session.