Systems and methods for management of network slice access
Systems and methods described herein enable dynamic in-app subscriptions and controls for network slices. A user device receives a command to launch an application and identifies a preferred network slice for the application. The application determines that a network services subscription for the user device does not include the preferred network slice and obtains consent, from a user of the user device, to add the preferred network slice to the network services subscription. The user device receives, from a provider network, authorization for using the preferred network slice by the application and initiates a network session on the preferred network slice.
1. A user device comprising:
one or more processors configured to:
receive a command to launch an application;
identify a preferred network slice for the application;
determine, by the application, that a network services subscription for the user device does not include the preferred network slice;
obtain consent, from a user of the user device, to add the preferred network slice to the network services subscription;
receive, from a provider network, authorization for using the preferred network slice by the application;
initiate a network session on the preferred network slice; and
provide a user prompt to allow the user to toggle use of the preferred network slice by the application.
2. The user device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
detect user input to pause use of the preferred network slice; and
send, to the provider network and based on the detecting, a signal to disable access to the preferred network slice by the application.
3. The user device of claim 2 , wherein, when detecting user input to pause use of the preferred network slice, the one or more processors are further configured to:
initiate, by the application, presentation of the user prompt to start or pause use of the preferred network slice.
4. The user device of claim 1 , wherein, when determining that the network services subscription does not include the preferred network slice, the one or more processors are further configured to:
provide a UE Route Selection Policy (URSP) rule to the application.
5. The user device of claim 1 , wherein, when determining that the network services subscription does not include the preferred network slice, the one or more processors are further configured to:
receive, from the provider network, a Protocol Configurations Options (PCO) message that indicates a subscription status for the user device.
6. The user device of claim 1 , wherein, when determining that the network services subscription does not include the preferred network slice, the one or more processors are further configured to:
provide an Application Programming Interface (API) call to a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) utility application to request a subscription status.
7. The user device of claim 1 , wherein, when obtaining the consent from the user, the one or more processors are further configured to:
submit an Application Programming Interface (API) call to a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) utility application to present a user interface for the subscription request.
8. The user device of claim 1 , wherein, when obtaining the consent from the user, the one or more processors are further configured to:
send a message to an entitlement server in the provider network to obtain a subscription option for the preferred network slice.
9. The user device of claim 1 , wherein the user device includes a user device configured for one of a 5G standalone network or a 5G non-standalone network.
10. The user device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
detect that the application is running in a background; and
send, to the provider network and based on the detecting, a signal to disable access to the preferred network slice by the application.
11. A method comprising:
receiving, by a user device, a command to launch an application;
identifying, by the application, a preferred network slice for the application;
determining, by the application, that a network services subscription for the user device does not include the preferred network slice;
obtaining consent, from a user of the user device, to add the preferred network slice to the network services subscription;
receiving, by the user device and from a provider network, authorization for using the preferred network slice by the application;
initiating, by the application, a network session on the preferred network slice; and
providing a user prompt to allow the user to toggle use of the preferred network slice by the application.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
detecting user input to pause use of the preferred network slice; and
sending, to the provider network and based on the detecting, a signal to disable access to the preferred network slice by the application.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein detecting user input to pause use of the preferred network slice further comprises:
initiating, by the application, presentation of the user prompt to start or pause use of the preferred network slice.
14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
detecting that the application is running in a background; and
sending, to the provider network and based on the detecting, a signal to disable access to the preferred network slice by the application.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining that the network services subscription does not include the preferred network slice further comprises:
receiving, from the provider network, a Protocol Configurations Options (PCO) message that indicates a subscription status for the user device.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining that the network services subscription does not include the preferred network slice further comprises:
providing an Application Programming Interface (API) call to a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) utility application to request a subscription status.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein obtaining the consent from the user further comprises one of:
submitting, by the application, an Application Programming Interface (API) call to a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) utility application to present a user interface for the subscription request; or
sending, by the application, a message to an entitlement server in the provider network to obtain a subscription option for the preferred network slice.
18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors of a user device, cause the user device to:
receive a command to launch an application;
identify a preferred network slice for the application;
determine, by the application, that a network services subscription for the user device does not include the preferred network slice;
obtain consent, from a user of the user device, to add the preferred network slice to the network services subscription;
receive, from a provider network, authorization for using the preferred network slice by the application;
initiate a network session on the preferred network slice; and
provide a user prompt to allow the user to toggle use of the preferred network slice by the application.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 18 , further comprising instructions to cause the user device to:
provide the user prompt to solicit user input;
detect, from the user prompt, user input to pause use of the preferred network slice; and
send, to the provider network and based on the detecting, a signal to disable access to the preferred network slice by the application.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 18 , wherein the instructions to determine that the network services subscription does not include the preferred network slice further comprise instructions to cause the user device to:
receive, from the provider network, a Protocol Configurations Options (PCO) message that indicates a subscription status for the user device; or
provide an Application Programming Interface (API) call to a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) utility application to request a subscription status.