Access to a home network within a multi-connectivity framework

1. A system, comprising:

a user equipment (UE);

at least two Internet access providers;

a multi-connectivity provider backend;

a home network (HN); and

a data network (DN);

wherein the UE comprises at least two access interfaces;

wherein the multi-connectivity provider backend is configured to establish a connection to the HN and to provide the UE with access to the HN, whereby multi-connectivity is provided between the UE and the HN, wherein the multi-connectivity includes the UE being connected to the HN simultaneously via multiple types of access technologies;

wherein the multi-connectivity provider backend is further configured to:

check whether the at least two access interfaces have conflicting IP addresses or overlapping IP addresses with the HN; and

based on the at least two access interfaces have conflicting IP addresses or overlapping IP addresses with the HN,

apply counter-measures in the multi-connectivity provider backend, or

send a message to the UE, the message comprising an indication to the UE to apply counter-measures.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the establishment of the connection to the HN includes a tunnel connection from the multi-connectivity provider backend through the DN.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the tunnel connection is encrypted.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the establishment of the connection to the HN includes routing from the multi-connectivity provider backend through the DN.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the DN is the Internet.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the multi-connectivity provider backend and the HN belong to a same operator, and the multi-connectivity provider backend provides access to the HN without going through the DN.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the multi-connectivity provider backend is further configured to:

determine whether the UE is already connected to the HN through one of the UE's access interfaces; and

based on determining that one access interface is already connected to the HN:

stop the connection from the multi-connectivity provider backend to the HN; or

route HN-related traffic to the UE through the already connected access interface.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the determination of whether at least one of the UE's access interface is already connected to the HN is based on: geo-location, a Service Set Identifier (SSID), or signaling between the UE and the multi-connectivity provided backend.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the multi-connectivity provider backend is configured to establish the connection with the HN through a residential gateway (RG).

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the multiple types of access technologies include Wi-Fi and cellular access technologies.

11. A method for providing multi-connectivity between a user equipment (UE) and a home network (HN) in a system, the system comprising the UE, at least two Internet access providers, a multi-connectivity provider backend, the HN, and a data network (DN), wherein the UE comprises at least two access interfaces, the method comprising:

establishing, by the multi-connectivity provider backend, a connection to the HN; and

providing, by the multi-connectivity provider backend, the UE with access to the HN, whereby multi-connectivity is provided between the UE and the HN, wherein the multi-connectivity includes the UE being connected to the HN simultaneously via multiple types of access technologies;

wherein the method further comprises:

checking, at the multi-connectivity provider backend, whether the at least two access interfaces have conflicting IP addresses or overlapping IP addresses with the HN; and

based on the at least two access interfaces have conflicting IP addresses or overlapping IP addresses with the HN,

applying counter-measures in the multi-connectivity provider backend, or

sending a message to the UE, the message comprising an indication to the UE to apply counter-measures.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the establishing of the connection to the HN includes a tunnel connection from the multi-connectivity provider backend through the DN.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the tunnel connection is encrypted.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the establishing of the connection to the HN includes routing from the multi-connectivity provider backend through the DN.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the DN is the Internet.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the multi-connectivity provider backend and the HN belong to a same operator, and the multi-connectivity provider backend provides access to the HN without going through the DN.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

determining, by the multi-connectivity provider backend, whether the UE is already connected to the HN through one access interface, and

based on determining that one access interface is already connected to the HN:

stopping the connection from the multi-connectivity provider backend to the HN, or

routing HN-related traffic to the UE through the already connected access interface.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the determination of whether the UE is already connected to the HN through one access interface is based on: geo-location, a Service Set Identifier (SSID), or signaling between the UE and the multi-connectivity provided backend.

19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

establishing, by the multi-connectivity provider backend, the connection with the HN through a residential gateway (RG).