Method, apparatus, and computer program product for network slice aware public land mobile network selection

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 perform:
• select a Visited Public Land Mobile Network (VPLMN) associated with a preferred Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) list;
• identify a network slice not supported by the selected VPLMN;
• and
• select another VPLMN that supports the network slice, wherein the another VPLMN is not associated with the preferred PLMN list but is associated with a network slice aware PLMN exceptions list, or the another VPLMN is associated with the preferred PLMN list which supports the network slice.

A method comprising:

• selecting a Visited Public Land Mobile Network (VPLMN) associated with a preferred Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) list;
• identifying a network slice not supported by the selected VPLMN;
• and
• selecting another VPLMN that supports the network slice, wherein the another VPLMN is not associated with the preferred PLMN list but is associated with a network slice aware PLMN exceptions list, or the another VPLMN is associated with the preferred PLMN list which supports the network slice.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program code portions stored thereon, the program code portions configured, upon execution, to perform:

• select a Visited Public Land Mobile Network (VPLMN) associated with a preferred Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) list;
• identify a network slice not supported by the selected VPLMN;
• and
• select another VPLMN that supports the network slice, wherein the another VPLMN is not associated with the preferred PLMN list but is associated with a network slice aware PLMN exceptions list, or the another VPLMN is associated with the preferred PLMN list which supports the network slice.