Enhancements on slice service continuity

A source network node, comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory including computer program codes;
• the at least one memory and the computer program codes are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the source network node at least to:
• receive, from a user equipment, UE, being served by the source network node for a service associated with a network slice, a message indicative of a target network node for a handover of the UE from the source network node to the target network node;
• transmit a handover request to the target network node, the handover request indicating urgency of the handover for the UE, and the target network node being overloaded for the network slice;
• and
• receive a handover request acknowledgement message from the target network node, the handover request acknowledgement message indicating if multi-carrier radio resource sharing is applicable for supporting the service.

A target network node, comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory including computer program codes,
• the at least one memory and the computer program codes configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the target network node at least to:
• receive, from a source network node serving a user equipment, UE, for a service associated with a network slice, a handover request indicating urgency of the handover for the UE, the target network node being overloaded for the network slice;
• determine whether or not to apply multi-carrier radio resource sharing for supporting the service based on the urgency of the handover;
• and
• transmit, to the source network node, a handover request acknowledgement message indicating if the multi-carrier radio resource sharing is applicable for the service.

A user equipment, UE, comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory including computer program codes;
• the at least one memory and the computer program codes are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the UE at least to:
• transmit, to a source network node serving the UE for a service associated with a network slice, a message indicative of a target network node for a handover of the UE from the source network node to the target network node for the service;
• receive, from the source network node, a handover command indicating continuity of the service via multi-carrier radio resource sharing;
• and
• receive the service via a serving cell using multi-carrier radio resource sharing based on the handover command.