Access network selection for a UE not supporting NAS over non-3GPP access

1. An apparatus comprising:

a transceiver that communicates with one or more non-3GPP access networks; and

a processor that:

creates a first list of available public land mobile networks (“PLMNs”), each PLMN connectable via a non-3GPP access network using a 5G connectivity without non-access stratum (“NAS”);

selects a first PLMN from the first list;

creates a second list of available non-3GPP access networks;

selects a first non-3GPP access network from the second list; and

begins a connectivity procedure over the first non-3GPP access network, wherein the connectivity procedure creates a data connection for the apparatus via the first PLMN, and wherein the connectivity procedure does not use the NAS protocol.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein creating the first list of available PLMNs comprises:

discovering a plurality of available non-3GPP access networks; and

determining, for each available non-3GPP access network, a set of PLMNs which are connectable using a 5G connectivity without NAS protocol and one or more network slices supported by each PLMN in the set.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein determining the set of PLMNs which are connectable using a 5G connectivity without comprises using an access network query protocol (“ANQP”) to acquire a list of PLMNs connectable via each available non-3GPP access network using a 5G connectivity without.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first non-3GPP access network is a highest priority available non-3GPP access network that supports connectivity to the first PLMN.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein beginning the connectivity procedure over the first non-3GPP access network comprises sending a request message to the first non-3GPP access network comprising a network access identifier (“NAI”), the NAI containing an identifier for the first PLMN.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the NAI contains also an identifier for a first Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (“S-NSSAI”) and wherein the connectivity procedure creates a data connection for the apparatus via the first S-NSSAI in the first PLMN.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein creating the second list comprises:

discovering a plurality of available non-3GPP access networks; and

ordering the plurality of available non-3GPP access networks into a prioritized list based on a set of wireless local area network selection policy (“WLANSP”) rules.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the second list is ordered based on operating parameters of the plurality of available non-3GPP access networks.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein beginning the connectivity procedure comprises creating a data connection via the first PLMN and via one of: a trusted wireless local area network interworking function (“TWIF”) in the first non-3GPP access network, and a fixed network residential gateway (“FN-RG”) in the first non-3GPP access network.

10. A method comprising:

creating, at a remote unit, a first list of available public land mobile networks (“PLMNs”), each PLMN connectable via a non-3GPP access network using a 5G connectivity without non-access stratum (“NAS”);

selecting, by the remote unit, a first PLMN from the first list;

creating, at a remote unit, a second list of available non-3GPP access networks;

selecting, by the remote unit, a first non-3GPP access network from the second list; and

beginning, by the remote unit, a connectivity procedure over the first non-3GPP access network, wherein the connectivity procedure creates a data connection for the remote unit via the first PLMN, and wherein the connectivity procedure does not use the NAS protocol.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein creating the first list comprises:

discovering a plurality of available non-3GPP access networks;

determining, for each available non-3GPP access network, a set of PLMNs which are connectable using a 5G connectivity without.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the set of PLMNs which are connectable using a 5G connectivity without NAS comprises using an access network query protocol (“ANQP”) to acquire a list of PLMNs connectable via each available non-3GPP access network using a 5G connectivity without NAS.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first non-3GPP access network is a highest priority available non-3GPP access network that supports connectivity to the first PLMN.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein beginning the connectivity procedure over the first non-3GPP access network comprises sending a request message to the first non-3GPP access network comprising a network access identifier (“NAI”), the NAI containing an identifier for the first PLMN.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the NAI contains also an identifier for a first Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (“S-NSSAI”) and wherein the connectivity procedure creates a data connection for the apparatus via the first S-NSSAI in the first PLMN.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein creating the second list comprises:

discovering a plurality of available non-3GPP access networks; and

ordering the plurality of available non-3GPP access networks into a prioritized list based on a set of wireless local area network selection policy (“WLANSP”) rules.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the second list is ordered based on operating parameters of the plurality of available non-3GPP access networks.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein beginning the connectivity procedure comprises creating a data connection via the first PLMN via one of: a trusted wireless local area network interworking function (“TWIF”) in the first non-3GPP access network, and a fixed network residential gateway (“FN-RG”) in the first non-3GPP access network.