Apparatuses and methods for reducing a size of messages pertaining to device capabilities

1 . A device, comprising:

a processing system including a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:

transmitting a first message that identifies a first plurality of capabilities supported by the device;

based on the transmitting of the first message, obtaining a second message from a user equipment that identifies a second plurality of capabilities supported by the user equipment, wherein the second plurality of capabilities is a subset of the first plurality of capabilities;

provisioning a first communication service to the user equipment in accordance with at least one capability included in the second plurality of capabilities;

generating or modifying a record for the user equipment based on the second message, wherein the record indicates that the user equipment supports each of the second plurality of capabilities; and

transmitting the record from the device to a second device that provides a second communication service to the user equipment, wherein the second device transmits a third message that identifies a third plurality of capabilities supported by the second device, wherein the third plurality of capabilities is excluded from the first plurality of capabilities, wherein the third plurality of capabilities includes a capability that is introduced to a network associated with the device and the second device subsequent to the transmitting of the first message, and wherein based on the third message the user equipment transmits to the second device a fourth message that identifies a fourth plurality of capabilities supported by the user equipment, wherein the fourth plurality of capabilities is a subset of the third plurality of capabilities.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the second plurality of capabilities pertains to a plurality of frequency bands.

3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the at least one capability corresponds to at least one frequency band included in the plurality of frequency bands.

4 . The device of claim 3 , wherein the at least one frequency band includes more than one frequency band.

5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the record indicates that the user equipment does not support a first capability that is included in the first plurality of capabilities, and wherein the first capability is excluded from the second plurality of capabilities.

6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting of the record to the second device is based on a handover of a communication session involving the user equipment from the device to the second device.

7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the subset is less than an entirety of the first plurality of capabilities.

8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting of the first message includes broadcasting the first message.

9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the third message is an on-demand request or inquiry that is specifically directed to the user equipment.

10 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:

transmitting a first indication of a first plurality of frequency bands supported by a first network device, the first plurality of frequency bands being a subset of a second plurality of frequency bands supported by a communication system incorporating the first network device;

based on the transmitting of the first indication, obtaining, from a first communication device, a second indication of at least one frequency band included in the first plurality of frequency bands supported by the first communication device for obtaining a first communication service via the first network device;

generating or modifying a report for the first communication device, the report including the second indication; and

transmitting the report from the first network device to a second network device of the communication system that provides a second communication service to the first communication device, wherein the second network device transmits a third indication of a second plurality of frequency bands supported by the second network device, wherein the second plurality of frequency bands is excluded from the first plurality of frequency bands, wherein the second plurality of frequency bands includes a frequency band that is introduced to the communication system subsequent to the transmitting of the first indication, and wherein based on the third indication the first communication device transmits to the second network device a fourth indication that identifies a third plurality of frequency bands supported by the first communication device, wherein the third plurality of frequency bands is a subset of the second plurality of frequency bands.

11 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the at least one frequency band includes a plurality of frequency bands.

12 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:

establishing a communication session associated with the first communication service with the first communication device such that the communication session is facilitated via at least two frequency bands of the plurality of frequency bands simultaneously.

13 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:

modifying the report to include the fourth indication.

14 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the third indication is transmitted based on a mobility of the first communication device exceeding a threshold.

15 . A method comprising:

broadcasting, by a processing system including a processor, a first indication of a first plurality of frequency bands available at the processing system;

based on the broadcasting, receiving, by the processing system and from a first user equipment, a second indication of a first frequency band included in the first plurality of frequency bands supported by the first user equipment;

establishing, by the processing system, a first communication session for the first user equipment using the first frequency band;

based on the broadcasting, receiving, by the processing system and from a second user equipment, a third indication of a second frequency band included in the first plurality of frequency bands supported by the second user equipment;

establishing, by the processing system, a second communication session for the second user equipment using the second frequency band;

generating or modifying, by the processing system, a first report for the first user equipment, the first report including the second indication; and

transmitting, by the processing system, the first report from the processing system to a second processing system that establishes a third communication session for the first user equipment, wherein the second processing system transmits a fourth indication of a second plurality of frequency bands supported by the second processing system, wherein the second plurality of frequency bands is excluded from the first plurality of frequency bands, wherein the second plurality of frequency bands includes a frequency band that is introduced to a network associated with the processing system and the second processing system subsequent to the broadcasting of the first indication, wherein based on the transmission of the fourth indication the first user equipment transmits to the second processing system a fifth indication of a third plurality of frequency bands supported by the first user equipment, and wherein the third plurality of frequency bands is a subset of the second plurality of frequency bands.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the first user equipment does not support the second frequency band.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the second user equipment does not support the first frequency band.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the transmitting of the first report occurs over a backhaul link coupling the processing system and the second processing system.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the second user equipment includes an Internet of Things (IoT) sensor.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the third communication session utilizes a frequency band included in the third plurality of frequency bands.