Support of network slicing for SMS
Methods and apparatus for providing short message service (SMS) on a network slice basis are provided within a system that includes a wireless device and control plane entities. The wireless device sends a Registration Request message a control plane entity indicating that the Registration is for SMS and receives a Registration Response message comprising the allowed Single Network slice Selection Assistance information (S-NSSAI) that are to be used for the SMS. The control plane entity determines the allowed S-NSSAI for SMS and activates one or more SMS functions for the allowed S-NSSAI for SMS delivery, hence enabling a solution where SMS can be delivered over specific network slices instead of being network slice agnostic.
1 . A method performed by a core network control plane entity, the method comprising:
receiving a Registration Request message from a wireless device, the Registration Request comprising at least one of an indicator that the registration is for Short Message Service (SMS) or an indication that the wireless device supports SMS delivery over Non-Access Stratum (NAS), wherein the Registration Request message for the SMS comprises requested Network slice Selection Assistance information (NSSAI) indicating one or more requested Single Network slice Selection Assistance information (S-NSSAI) for the SMS;
obtaining SMS subscription data comprising one or more subscribed S-NSSAI for the SMS;
determining the one or more allowed S-NSSAI for the SMS based on the subscribed S-NSSAI for the SMS;
obtaining at least one of a wireless device context in SMSF for one or more subscribed S-NSSAI and a wireless device context in SMSF for the one or more allowed S-NSSAI;
selecting a Short Message Service Function (SMSF) for the at least one of the one or more allowed S-NSSAI for the SMS;
sending a Registration Response message to the wireless device indicating the one or more allowed S-NSSAI for the SMS; and
sending to the SMSF selected for the at least one of the one or more allowed S-NSSAI an activation message indicating at least the identity of the core network control plane entity and an identity of the wireless device, wherein selecting the SMSF for each of the one or more allowed S-NSSAI for the SMS is based on the obtained wireless device context in SMSF.
2 . The method of claim 1 , where the wireless device context in SMSF for the one or more subscribed S-NSSAI indicates an identity of the SMSF for each of the one or more subscribed S-NSSAI and the wireless device context in SMSF for the one or more allowed S-NSSAI indicates an identity of the SMSF for each of the one or more allowed S-NSSAI.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the wireless device context in SMSF for the one or more subscribed S-NSSAI is obtained from a User Data Management function.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the wireless device context in SMSF for the one or more allowed S-NSSAI is obtained from at least one of a policy Control Function (PCF) or Network Registry Function (NRF) or an internal configuration.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
receiving a NAS message comprising a SMS message, the NAS message comprising one of the allowed S-NSSAI;
determining based on the allowed S-NSSAI the corresponding SMSF; and
forwarding the SMS message to the SMSF for the allowed S-NSSAI.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a request message from the SMSF to determine reachability of the wireless device over one of the allowed S-NSSAI;
determining the reachability of the wireless device over the allowed S-NSSAI; and
upon determining the wireless device is reachable, receiving an SMS message for delivery to the wireless device on the allowed S-NSSAI.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising
receiving an indication for an SMS message to be delivered to the wireless device over an S-NSSAI that was not indicated to the wireless device as one of the allowed S-NSSAI;
instructing the UE to add the S-NSSAI into the one or more allowed S-NSSAI or to register for SMS requesting the S-NSSAI; and
delivering the SMS message to the UE over the S-NSSAI.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
registering, by a Short Message Service function (SMSF) entity, an SMSF profile in a network repository entity, wherein the profile comprises one or more S-NSSAI supported by the SMSF entity.
9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving, by the SMSF entity, a request comprising a short message service (SMS) message for delivery to a user equipment (UE);
upon determining, by the SMSF entity, the SMS entity is allocated to one or more S-NSSAI determining the user equipment reachability on one of the one or more S-NSSAI;
upon determining, by the SMSF entity, reachability of the user equipment on one of the one or more S-NSSAI, sending the SMS message towards the UE indicating the S-NSSAI over which the SMS message is to be delivered.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein determining the user equipment reachability on any of the one or more S-NSSAI further comprises selecting, by the SMSF entity, the S-NSSAI for which reachability of the UE is to be determined.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein upon receiving, by the SMSF entity, an indication that the UE is not reachable over the selected S-NSSAI, selecting another S-NSSAI of the one or more S-NSSAI over which reachability of the UE is to be determined.
12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the request further comprises one of the one or more S-NSSAI and the method further comprises determining, by the SMSF entity, reachability over the S-NSSAI, wherein the S-NSSAI included in the request is the one of the one or more S-NSSAI.
13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising receiving, by the SMSF entity, an indication that the UE is not reachable over the S-NSSAI comprised in the request; and
notifying, by the SMSF entity, an originator of the request that the SMS message is not deliverable over the S-NSSAI.
14 . A control plane entity comprising a processing circuitry and memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the control plane entity is configured to:
receive a Registration Request message from a wireless device, the Registration Request comprising at least one of an indicator that the registration is for Short Message Service (SMS) or an indication that the wireless device supports SMS delivery over Non-Access Stratum (NAS), wherein the Registration Request message for the SMS comprises requested Network slice Selection Assistance information (NSSAI) indicating one or more requested Single Network slice Selection Assistance information (S-NSSAI) for the SMS;
obtain SMS subscription data comprising one or more subscribed S-NSSAI for the SMS;
determine the one or more allowed S-NSSAI for the SMS based on the subscribed S-NSSAI for the SMS;
obtaining at least one of a wireless device context in SMSF for one or more subscribed S-NSSAI and a wireless device context in SMSF for the one or more allowed S-NSSAI;
select a Short Message Service Function (SMSF) for the at least one of the one or more allowed S-NSSAI for the SMS;
send a Registration Response message to the wireless device indicating the one or more allowed S-NSSAI for the SMS; and
send to the SMSF selected for the at least one of the one or more allowed S-NSSAI an activation message indicating at least the identity of the core network control plane entity and an identity of the wireless device, wherein selecting the SMSF for each of the one or more allowed S-NSSAI for the SMS is based on the obtained wireless device context in SMSF.