User plane for fifth generation cellular architecture

1. A network node, comprising:

a memory; and

a processing element in communication with the memory, wherein the processing element is configured to:

receive, from a base station of a fourth generation (4G) network operating according to a 4G legacy radio access technology (RAT) within the 4G network, an attachment request for a wireless device;

send an authentication request to a home subscriber server (HSS), wherein the authentication request includes first subscription information associated with the wireless device;

receive authentication information for authenticating the wireless device from the HSS, wherein the authentication information comprises second subscription information associated with the wireless device;

determine, based at least in part on the authentication information, whether the wireless device is associated with a subscription for a fifth generation (5G) RAT within a 5G network;

select, in response to determining that the wireless device is associated with the subscription for the 5G network, a first gateway that interfaces the 4G network and the 5G network, wherein the first gateway has a first user plane interface to a base station of the 5G network and a second user plane interface with the base station of the 4G network through one or more 4G network gateways, wherein the first user plane interface from the first gateway to the base station of the 5G network does not include any intervening 5G network gateway, and wherein the selection of the first gateway enables internet protocol (IP) address continuity with the first gateway in subsequent connections through a base station of the 5G network operating according the 5G RAT;

send a connection request to the first gateway;

receive, from the first gateway, a connection response comprising session information for connecting to the 5G network; and

send, to the wireless device, a message indicating that attachment to the first gateway was successful.

2. The network node of claim 1 ,

wherein the processing element is further configured to:

send a first query to a domain name system (DNS) server, wherein the first query includes a request for an internet protocol (IP) address for a gateway of the 4G network;

receive a first response from the DNS server, wherein the first response includes a list of IP addresses for gateways of the 4G network;

send a second query to the DNS server, wherein the second query includes a request for an IP address for a gateway of the 5G network; and

receive a second response from the DNS server, wherein the second response includes a list of IP address for gateways of the 5G network.

3. The network node of claim 2 ,

wherein the second response also includes a mapping between the IP addresses for gateways of the 5G network and IP addresses for gateways of the 4G network.

4. The network node of claim 1 ,

wherein the attachment request includes a packet data network (PDN) connectivity request.

5. A non-transitory computer accessible memory medium comprising program instructions which, when executed at a network node, cause the network node to:

receive, from a base station of a fourth generation (4G) network operating according to a 4G legacy radio access technology (RAT) within the 4G network, an attachment request for a wireless device;

generate instructions to transmit an authentication request to a home subscriber server (HSS), wherein the authentication request includes first subscription information associated with the wireless device;

receive authentication information from the HSS for authenticating the wireless device from the HSS, wherein the authentication information comprises second subscription information associated with the wireless device;

determine, based at least in part on the authentication information, whether the wireless device is associated with a subscription for a fifth generation (5G) RAT within a 5G network;

select, in response to determining that the wireless device is associated with the subscription for the 5G network, a first gateway that interfaces the 4G network and the 5G network, wherein the first gateway has a first user plane interface to a base station of the 5G network and a second user plane interface with the base station of the 4G network through one or more 4G network gateways, wherein the first user plane interface from the first gateway to the base station of the 5G network does not include any intervening 5G network gateway, and wherein the selection of the first gateway enables internet protocol (IP) address continuity with the first gateway in subsequent connections through a base station of the 5G network operating according the 5G RAT;

generate instructions to transmit a connection request to the first gateway;

receive, from the first gateway, a connection response comprising session information for connecting to the 5G network; and

generate instructions to transmit a first message to the wireless device indicating that the attachment to the first gateway was successful.

6. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 5 ,

wherein the attachment request includes a packet data network (PDN) connectivity request.

7. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 5 ,

wherein, after selecting the first gateway and prior to generating instructions to transmit the first message, the program instructions are further executable to:

generate instructions to transmit, to the first gateway, a second message to create a session; and

receive, from the first gateway, a third message comprising an IP address in response to the second message.

8. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 7 ,

wherein the first message comprises the IP address.

9. The network node of claim 1 ,

wherein the session information for connecting to the 5G network includes an IP address.

10. The network node of claim 1 ,

wherein the message includes the session information for connecting to the 5G network.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor in communication with the memory, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

receive, from a base station of a fourth generation (4G) network operating according to a 4G legacy radio access technology (RAT) within the 4G network, an attachment request for a wireless device;

determine authentication information via communication with a home subscriber server (HSS), wherein, to authenticate the wireless device, the communication comprises at least an exchange of subscription information associated with the wireless device;

determine, based at least in part on the subscription information, whether the wireless device is associated with a subscription for a fifth generation (5G) RAT within a 5G network;

select, in response to determining that the wireless device is associated with the subscription for the 5G network, a first gateway that interfaces the 4G network and the 5G network, wherein the first gateway has a first user plane interface to a base station of the 5G network and a second user plane interface with the base station of the 4G network through one or more 4G network gateways, wherein the first user plane interface from the first gateway to the base station of the 5G network does not include any intervening 5G network gateway, and wherein the selection of the first gateway enables internet protocol (IP) address continuity with the first gateway in subsequent connections through a base station of the 5G network operating according the 5G RAT;

generate instructions to transmit a connection request to the first gateway;

receive, from the first gateway, a connection response comprising session information for connecting to the 5G network; and

generate instructions to transmit a first message to the wireless device indicating that the attachment to the first gateway was successful.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 ,

wherein, after selecting the first gateway and prior to generating instructions to transmit the first message, the at least one processor is further configured to:

generate instructions to transmit, to the first gateway, a second message to create a session; and

receive, from the first gateway, a third message comprising an IP address in response to the second message.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 ,

wherein the first message comprises the IP address.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 ,

wherein the attachment request includes a packet data network (PDN) connectivity request.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 ,

wherein, to determine authentication information, the at least one processor is further configured to:

generate instructions to cause an authentication request to be sent to the HSS; and

receive the authentication information from the HSS.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 ,

wherein the session information for connecting to the 5G network includes an IP address.

17. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 5 ,

wherein the session information for connecting to the 5G network includes an IP address.

18. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 5 ,

wherein the first message includes the session information for connecting to the 5G network.

19. The network node of claim 1 ,

wherein, after selecting the first gateway and prior to send the message, the processing element is further configured to:

send, to the first gateway, a first message to create a session; and

receive, from the first gateway, a second message comprising an IP address in response to the first message.

20. The network node of claim 19 ,

wherein the first message comprises the IP address.