Quality of service continuity in converged networks
Various embodiments comprise systems, methods, architectures, mechanisms and apparatus for managing service provider network nodes in a converged network by identifying indicia of a reduced Quality of Service (QoS) level of network services provided to user equipment (UE) via a WiFi access point (WAP) such that a WiFi control entity may responsively communicate the identification of affected UE to various provider equipment such that the UE may be migrated to a proximate service provider mobile network node in accordance with a network slice having a Quality Class Index (QCI) of at least a minimum QoS level indicated by the subscriber profile information.
1. A method for managing subscriber services in a converged network, comprising:
identifying, at a WiFi controller configured to manage a plurality of service provider wireless access points (WAPs) providing network services of the service provider to user equipment (UE) connected thereto, a reduced Quality of Service (QoS) level of network services provided to UE via a WAP;
transmitting, from the WiFi controller toward a mobility management entity (MME) configured to manage a plurality of service provider mobile network nodes, a message identifying UE associated with the reduced QoS level and corresponding subscriber profile information, said message configured to cause the MME to connect the UE to a proximate service provider mobile network node in accordance with a network slice having a Quality Class Index (QCI) of at least a minimum QoS level indicated by the subscriber profile information.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network slice comprises a WiFi network slice having a QCI defined in accordance with a nominal WAP QoS level.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network slice comprises a WiFi network slice having a QCI defined in accordance with a default QoS level.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a network slice selection function is configured to generate a new type of network slice in response to the QCI associated with the QoS level indicated by the subscriber profile information.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the network slice selection function is configured to advertise available types of network slices to UE connecting to service provider mobile network nodes.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying a reduced QoS level of network services provided to UE via a WAP comprises determining that a QoS level is below a guaranteed minimum QoS level associated with the subscriber profile of the UE.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying a reduced QoS level of network services provided to UE via a WAP comprises determining that a QoS level is deteriorating toward a guaranteed minimum QoS level associated with the subscriber profile of the UE.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein identifying a reduced QoS level is determined using measurements provided by the WAP to the WC.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying a minimum QoS level indicated by the subscriber profile information; and
creating the network slice having a QCI of at least a minimum QoS level indicated by the subscriber profile information.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising advertising the network slice having a QCI of at least a minimum QoS level indicated by the subscriber profile information.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising restricting the UE connection to the proximate service provider mobile network node to a WiFi network slice having a QCI defined in accordance with a nominal WAP QoS level.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising restricting the UE connection to the proximate service provider mobile network node to a WiFi network slice having a QCI defined in accordance with a default QoS level.
13. A system for managing service provider network nodes in a converged network, the system comprising:
a WiFi controller configured to manage a plurality of service provider wireless access points (WAPs) providing network services of the service provider to user equipment (UE) connected thereto, for identifying a reduced Quality of Service (QoS) level of network services provided to UE via a WAP;
the WiFi controller transmitting, toward a mobility management entity (MME) configured to manage a plurality of service provider mobile network nodes, a message identifying UE associated with the reduced QoS level and corresponding subscriber profile information, said message configured to cause the MME to connect the UE to a proximate service provider mobile network node in accordance with a network slice having a Quality Class Index (QCI) of at least a minimum QoS level indicated by the subscriber profile information.
14. A tangible and non-transient computer readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computer, adapt the operation of the computer to provide a method for managing subscriber services in a converged network, comprising:
identifying, at a WiFi controller configured to manage a plurality of service provider wireless access points (WAPs) providing network services of the service provider to user equipment (UE) connected thereto, a reduced Quality of Service (QoS) level of network services provided to UE via a WAP;
transmitting, from the WiFi controller toward a mobility management entity (MME) configured to manage a plurality of service provider mobile network nodes, a message identifying UE associated with the reduced QoS level and corresponding subscriber profile information, said message configured to cause the MME to connect the UE to a proximate service provider mobile network node in accordance with a network slice having a Quality Class Index (QCI) of at least a minimum QoS level indicated by the subscriber profile information.