Access traffic steering using a plurality of steering connections over different access networks

A user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising:

• at least one memory;
• and
• at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the UE to:
• transmit a first message to establish a multi-access data connection over a first access network and a second access network, wherein the first message indicates that the UE supports a type of steering functionality corresponding to a plurality of steering connections over the first access network and the second access network, wherein the type of steering functionality corresponds to a lower layer steering functionality based on a transport protocol;
• receive a second message that indicates a first set of rules for routing traffic over the first access network and the second access network using the type of steering functionality, and a second set of rules for routing the traffic over the plurality of steering connections;
• establish the multi-access data connection over the first access network and the second access network, wherein the multi-access data connection is associated with a plurality of quality-of-service (QOS) flows;
• establish the plurality of steering connections over the first access network and the second access network in response to the first message or the second message, or both, wherein the plurality of steering connections comprises a first set of steering connections over the first access network and a second set of steering connections over the second access network, and wherein the plurality of steering connections corresponds to the plurality of QOS flows in accordance with a one-to-one mapping;
• and
• apply the first set of rules and the second set of rules for routing the traffic of the multi-access data connection.