Method and user equipment for cell (re)selection

1. A method performed by a User Equipment (UE) for cell reselection, the method comprising:

receiving an intra-frequency-reselection indicator in a Master Information Block (MIB) from a cell on a specific frequency;

determining whether the cell belongs to a network to which the UE is registered;

determining other cells on the specific frequency as barred cells that the UE is not permitted to select in an intra-frequency cell reselection in a case that the cell belongs to the network and the intra-frequency-reselection indicator is set to a first value indicating that the intra-frequency cell reselection is not allowed to be performed; and

performing the intra-frequency cell reselection to the other cells on the specific frequency in a case that the cell does not belong to the network or the intra-frequency-reselection indicator is set to a second value indicating that the intra-frequency cell reselection is allowed to be performed,

wherein performing the intra-frequency cell reselection comprises:

determining a highest-ranked cell from the other cells on the specific frequency according to a priority order of the other cells;

determining whether the highest-ranked cell belongs to a Single Non-Public Network (SNPN) which is the same as a registered or selected SNPN of the UE;

determining the other cells as the barred cells for a predetermined period of time in a case that the highest-ranked cell does not belong to the SNPN; and

determining one of the other cells as a suitable cell in a case that the one of the other cells belongs to the SNPN, a signal quality of the one of the other cells fulfills a cell selection criterion, the one of the other cells is not barred from selection as the suitable cell, and the one of the other cells does not belong to a forbidden Tracking Area (TA) of the SNPN.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the network is one of a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) or the SNPN.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cell belongs to a plurality of networks including a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) the SNPN.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the intra-frequency cell reselection is performed when the UE is set to be in an SNPN access mode and operates in a licensed spectrum.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

entering an any cell selection state in a case that no suitable cell for the intra-frequency cell reselection is found; and

determining the other cells as non-barred cells upon the UE entering the any cell selection state in a case that the other cells are determined as the barred cells before the UE enters the any cell selection state.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined period of time is 300 seconds.

7. A User Equipment (UE) for cell reselection, the UE comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive an intra-frequency-reselection indicator in a Master Information Block (MIB) from a cell on a specific frequency;

a processor coupled to the transceiver; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory stores at least one computer-executable program that, when executed by the processor, causes the UE to:

determine whether the cell belongs to a network to which the UE is registered;

determine other cells on the specific frequency as barred cells that the UE is not permitted to select in an intra-frequency cell reselection in a case that the cell belongs to the network and the intra-frequency-reselection indicator is set to a first value indicating that the intra-frequency cell reselection is not allowed to be performed; and

perform the intra-frequency cell reselection to the other cells on the specific frequency in a case that the cell does not belong to the network or the intra-frequency-reselection indicator is set to a second value indicating that the intra-frequency cell reselection is allowed to be performed,

wherein performing the intra-frequency cell reselection comprises:

determining a highest-ranked cell from the other cells on the specific frequency according to a priority order of the other cells;

determining whether the highest-ranked cell belongs to a Single Non-Public Network (SNPN) which is the same as a registered or selected SNPN of the UE,

determining the other cells as the barred cells for a predetermined period of time in a case that the highest-ranked cell does not belong to the SNPN, and

determining one of the other cells as a suitable cell in a case that the one of the other cells belongs to the SNPN, a signal quality of the one of the other cells fulfills a cell selection criterion, the one of the other cells is not barred from selection as the suitable cell, and the one of the other cells does not belong to a forbidden Tracking Area (TA) of the SNPN.

8. The UE according to claim 7 , wherein the network is one of a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) or the SNPN.

9. The UE according to claim 7 , wherein the cell belongs to a plurality of networks including a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) and the SNPN.

10. The UE according to claim 7 , wherein the intra-frequency cell reselection is performed when the UE is set to be in an SNPN access mode and operates in a licensed spectrum.

11. The UE according to claim 7 , wherein when the at least one computer-executable program is executed by the processor, the computer-executable program further causes the UE to:

enter an any cell selection state in a case that no suitable cell for the intra-frequency cell reselection is found; and

determine the other cells as non-barred cells upon the UE entering the any cell selection state in a case that the other cells are determined as the barred cells before the UE enters the any cell selection state.

12. The UE according to claim 7 , wherein the predetermined period of time is 300 seconds.