System and method for managing dual connectivity with dynamic anchor cell selection
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, determining dual connectivity values for neighbor cells of a serving cell of a wireless network. A dual connectivity capability is determined of a wireless device that engages in wireless communications coordinated by the serving cell. A target cell of the neighbor cells is determined based on a dual connectivity value. Initiation of a dual connectivity service is facilitated based on the wireless device via the target cell, wherein the target cell serves as a master cell of the dual connectivity service, and wherein the dual connectivity service includes exchanging user plane messages between the wireless device, the master cell and a secondary cell of the wireless network. Other embodiments are disclosed.
1. A system, 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:
determining a plurality of dual connectivity ratings for a plurality of neighbor cells of a serving cell of a mobile cellular network, wherein the plurality of dual connectivity ratings are determined via a plurality of configuration update messages received from the plurality of neighbor cells;
identifying a dual connectivity capability of a mobile communication device that engages in wireless communications coordinated by the serving cell;
identifying a target cell of the plurality of neighbor cells based on a dual connectivity rating of the plurality of dual connectivity ratings; and
facilitating initiation of a dual connectivity service via the target cell based on the dual connectivity capability of the mobile communication device, wherein the target cell serves as a master cell of the dual connectivity service, and wherein the dual connectivity service comprises exchanging user plane messages between the mobile communication device, the master cell and a secondary cell of the mobile cellular network.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
storing indications of the plurality of dual connectivity ratings in association with the plurality of neighbor cells.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the mobile cellular network comprises a 3 rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile network, and wherein the serving cell comprises an evolved Node B (eNB) communications node.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the target cell comprises the serving cell.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of dual connectivity ratings are selected from a group consisting of a preferred target cell, a fallback target cell, and a non-supported target cell.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the master cell comprises an eNB communications node of a 3GPP, LTE mobile network, and wherein the secondary cell comprises a 3GPP 5 th Generation (5G) New Radio (NR) communications node.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the master cell comprises a 3GPP 5G NR communications node and wherein the secondary cell comprises an eNB communications node of a 3GPP, LTE mobile network.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the master cell comprises a 3GPP 5G NR communications node and wherein the secondary cell comprises a 3GPP 5G NR communications node.
9. A method, comprising:
determining, by a processing system including a processor, a plurality of dual connectivity rankings for a plurality of neighbor cells of a serving cell of a mobile cellular network, wherein the plurality of dual connectivity rankings are determined via a plurality of configuration update messages received from the plurality of neighbor cells;
determining, by the processing system, a dual connectivity capability of a mobile device that engages in wireless communications coordinated by the serving cell;
identifying, by the processing system, a target cell of the plurality of neighbor cells based on a dual connectivity ranking of the plurality of dual connectivity rankings; and
facilitating, by the processing system, initiation of a dual connectivity service via the target cell based on the dual connectivity capability of the mobile device, wherein the target cell serves as a master cell of the dual connectivity service, and wherein the dual connectivity service comprises exchanging user plane messages between the mobile device, the master cell and a secondary cell of the mobile cellular network.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
storing, by the processing system, indications of the plurality of dual connectivity rankings in association with the plurality of neighbor cells.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the mobile cellular network comprises a 3 rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile network, and wherein the serving cell comprises an evolved Node B (eNB) communications node.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the target cell comprises the serving cell.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of dual connectivity rankings are selected from a group consisting of a preferred target cell, a fallback target cell, and a non-supported target cell.
14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the master cell comprises an eNB communications node of a 3GPP, LTE mobile network, and wherein the secondary cell comprises a 3GPP 5 th Generation (5G) New Radio (NR) communications node.
15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the master cell comprises a 3GPP 5G NR communications node and wherein the secondary cell comprises an eNB communications node of a 3GPP, LTE mobile network.
16. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
determining a plurality of dual connectivity values for a plurality of neighbor cells of a serving cell of a wireless network, wherein the plurality of dual connectivity values are determined via a plurality of configuration update messages received from the plurality of neighbor cells;
determining a dual connectivity capability of a wireless device that engages in wireless communications coordinated by the serving cell;
determining a target cell of the plurality of neighbor cells based on a dual connectivity value of the plurality of dual connectivity values; and
facilitating initiation of a dual connectivity service via the target cell based on the dual connectivity capability of the wireless device, wherein the target cell serves as a master cell of the dual connectivity service, and wherein the dual connectivity service comprises exchanging user plane messages between the wireless device, the master cell and a secondary cell of the wireless network.
17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise:
accessing the plurality of dual connectivity values by way of a plurality of configuration update messages received by the serving cell from the plurality of neighbor cells; and
storing indications of the plurality of dual connectivity values in association with the plurality of neighbor cells.
18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the wireless network comprises a 3 rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile network, and wherein the serving cell comprises an evolved Node B (eNB) communications node.
19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the target cell comprises the serving cell.
20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the master cell comprises an eNB communications node of a 3GPP, LTE mobile network, and wherein the secondary cell comprises a 3GPP 5 th Generation (5G) New Radio (NR) communications node.