Ims service leasing

A method performed by an Internet Protocol, IP, Multimedia Subsystem, IMS, node in a virtual IMS network domain of a virtual IMS network operator to request a leased IMS service from an IMS network, on behalf of a User Equipment, UE, the method comprising:

• sending, to an Interconnect Border Control Function, IBCF, in the IMS network, a Session Initiation Protocol, SIP, message that serves as a request for a leased IMS service, the SIP message comprising:
• a. information that identifies the leased IMS service;
• b. information that identifies an IMS network slice;
• c. information that identifies the virtual IMS network operator;
• d. information that identifies one or more sub-services requested for the leased IMS service;
• e. information that identifies an IMS network slice instance;
• or
• f. any combination of two or more of a, b, c, d, and e.

A method performed by an Application Server, AS, in an Internet Protocol, IP, Multimedia Subsystem, IMS, network of an IMS service provider to provide leased IMS services to a virtual network operator, comprising:

• receiving, from a virtual network operator domain of the virtual network operator, a Session Initiation Protocol, SIP, message;
• upon receiving the SIP message, determining that a leased IMS service is needed to process the SIP message;
• and
• initiating the leased IMS service in the IMS network of the IMS service provider by sending a second SIP message to another node in the IMS network of the IMS service provider, the second SIP message comprising:
• a. information that identifies the leased IMS service;
• b. information that identifies an IMS network slice;
• c. information that identifies the virtual network operator;
• d. information that identifies one or more sub-services desired for the leased IMS service;
• e. information that identifies an IMS network slice instance;
• or
• f. any combination of two or more of a, b, c, d, and e.