Session mangement function service area information provision

A method performed by an Access and Mobility Management Function (“AMF”) comprising:

• determining that selection of a Session Management Function (“SMF”) from a plurality of SMFs of a communications system is needed;
• responsive to determining that selection of the SMF is needed, generating a Network Function (“NF”) discovery request including a service area indication requesting service area information for discovered SMFs;
• communicating the NF discovery request toward a NF Repository Function (“NRF”);
• receiving a NF discovery response including SMF identifiers and service area information for a list of SMFs;
• and
• selecting the SMF from the list of SMFs.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored therein that are executable by an Access and Mobility Management Function (“AMP”) to cause the AMF to perform operations comprising:

• determining that selection of a Session Management Function (“SMF”) from a plurality of SMFs of a communications system is needed;
• responsive to determining that selection of the SMF is needed, generating a Network Function (“NF”) discovery request including a service area indication requesting service area information for discovered SMFs;
• communicating the NF discovery request toward a NF Repository Function (“NRF”);
• receiving a NF discovery response including SMF identifiers and service area information for a list of SMFs;
• and
• selecting the SMF from the list of SMFs.