Service continuity for user equipment apparatus (ue) receiving multicast in radio resource control (rrc) inactive state

A method performed by a user equipment apparatus, the method comprising:

• receiving, from a first network node of a first cell, a multicast service while operating in a radio resource control (RRC) inactive state in the first cell;
• receiving, from the first network node in a radio resource control release message, an indication of a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) counter synchronization across multiple network nodes for the multicast service, wherein the multiple network nodes include the first network node and at least a second network node of a second cell;
• selecting the second cell for camping;
• and
• continuing to receive, based on a PDCP variable continuity, the multicast service in the second cell from the second network node of the second cell and refraining from performing an initialization of PDCP state variables in the second cell in association with the multicast service, and wherein the PDCP variable continuity is responsive to the indication of the PDCP counter synchronization.

A network node comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the network node at least to:
• determine that a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) counter synchronization across multiple network nodes is applied for a multicast service, wherein the multiple network nodes include the network node and at least a second network node of a second cell;
• and
• transmit, in a radio resource control release message to a user equipment apparatus (UE) in response to the determining, an indication of the PDCP counter synchronization across the multiple network nodes for the multicast service.