Steering mode for access network selection

A user plane function (UPF), comprising:

• a processing system that includes one or more processors and one or more code-storing memories coupled with the one or more processors, the processing system configured to cause the UPF to:
• receive, from a network entity, a set of rules associated with a steering mode for access network (AN) selection in accordance with an energy usage metric and a quality of service (QoS) metric associated with communication with a user equipment (UE) via at least one AN;
• receive, via the at least one selected AN in accordance with the set of rules, an uplink communication from the UE;
• and
• transmit, via the at least one selected AN in accordance with the set of rules, a downlink communication to the UE.

A session management function (SMF), comprising:

• a processing system that includes one or more processors and one or more code-storing memories coupled with the one or more processors, the processing system configured to cause the SMF to:
• transmit, to a user equipment (UE), a first set of rules associated with a steering mode for access network (AN) selection in accordance with an energy usage metric and a quality of service (QoS) metric;
• and
• transmit, to a network entity, a second set of rules associated with the steering mode for AN selection in accordance with the energy usage metric and the QoS metric.

A method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE), comprising:

• receiving, from a first network entity, a set of rules associated with a steering mode for access network (AN) selection in accordance with an energy usage metric and a quality of service (QoS) metric associated with communication with a second network entity via at least one AN;
• transmitting, via the at least one AN selected in accordance with the set of rules, an uplink communication to the second network entity;
• and
• receiving, via the at least one AN selected in accordance with the set of rules, a downlink communication from the second network entity.