Method and apparatus for handling restricted radio access technology in mobile communications

Abstract

The invention provides a method and a device for processing limited radio access technology in mobile communication. A device, such as a user equipment, initiates a procedure with a network; the device then receives, from the network, a denial message in response to the initiation, the denial message containing a cause indicating that the radio access technology to which the device attempts to access is restricted; in response to receiving the reject message, the device selects another radio access technology or a new public land mobile network.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to mobile communications, and more specifically to handling procedures performed on restricted radio access technologies (RATs) in mobile communications. BACKGROUND

[0002] In wireless communications, such as mobile communications, under current 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) specifications, there is a service requirement that enables network operators to regulate the use of specific access technology combinations within a public land mobile network (PLMN). However, at the time of this disclosure, the behavior of a user equipment (UE) when registering on a restricted radio access technology (RAT) is not defined. Therefore, there is a need for a solution to handle procedures performed on restricted radio access technologies in mobile communications. SUMMARY

[0003] One goal of the present disclosure is to propose solutions or schemes that address the problems described herein. More specifically, the various schemes proposed in the present disclosure are believed to provide solutions related to handling procedures on restricted radio access technologies in mobile communications. It is believed that implementation of one or more of the schemes proposed herein can solve or alleviate the problems described above.

[0004] In one aspect, a method can involve a user equipment initiating a procedure with a network. The method can also involve the user equipment receiving, from the network, a rejection message in response to the initiating, the rejection message containing a cause indicating that a radio access technology attempted to be accessed by the user equipment is restricted. The method can further involve the user equipment selecting another radio access technology or a new public land mobile network in response to the receiving.

[0005] In another aspect, a method can involve a network receiving signaling from a user equipment to initiate a procedure with the network. The method can also involve the network determining that a radio access technology attempted to be accessed by the user equipment is part of a radio access technology utilization restriction. The method can further involve the network sending, to the user equipment in response to the determining, a rejection message containing a cause indicating that the radio access technology is restricted.

[0006] In yet another aspect, an apparatus, which can be implemented in a user equipment, can include a transceiver configured for wireless communication and a processor coupled with the transceiver. The processor can initiate a procedure with a network. The processor can also receive, from the network, a rejection message in response to the initiating, the rejection message including a cause indicating that a radio access technology attempted to be accessed by the user equipment is restricted. The processor can also select another radio access technology or a new public land mobile network in response to the receiving.

[0007] It is worth noting that although the description provided herein can be in the context of certain radio access technologies, networks, and network topologies, such as 5th-Generation (5G) / New Radio (NR) / Beyond-5th-Generation (B5G) / 6th-Generation (6G) mobile communications, the proposed concepts, schemes, and any variants / derivatives thereof can be implemented in, for, and by other types of radio access technologies, networks, and network topologies, such as, but not limited to, 4G / Long-Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced, LTE-Advanced Pro, Internet of Things (IoT), Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT), Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X), and Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) communications. Thus, the scope of the disclosure is not limited to the examples described herein. The SUMMARY is used to illustrate the application only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. That is, the SUMMARY is intended to introduce a few concepts of the novel and non-obvious technology described herein. The chosen embodiments will be further described in the DETAILED DESCRIPTION. Thus, the SUMMARY is not intended to identify key features of the claimed subject matter or to delineate the scope of the claimed subject matter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an example network environment.

[0009] Figure 2 is a block diagram of an example communication system.

[0010] Figure 3 is a flow diagram of a second example procedure under the proposed schemes according to the disclosure.

[0011] Figure 4 is a flow diagram of a second example procedure under the proposed schemes according to the disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] Detailed embodiments and implementations of the claimed subject matter are disclosed herein. It is understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments and implementations are merely illustrative of the claimed subject matter and may be embodied in various forms. This disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments and implementations set forth herein. Rather, these exemplary embodiments and implementations are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. In the following description, details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the presented embodiments and implementations.

[0013] Implementations according to the present disclosure relate to various techniques, methods, schemes, and / or solutions for handling procedures performed on a restricted radio access technology in mobile communications. According to the present disclosure, a number of possible solutions can be implemented individually or jointly. That is, although these possible solutions can be described individually below, two or more of these possible solutions can be implemented in one or another combination.

[0014] Figure 1 An example network environment 100 is shown in which various solutions and schemes according to the present disclosure can be implemented. Figures 2 to 4 Implementations of various proposed schemes according to the present disclosure in the network environment 100 are shown. The following description of the various proposed schemes is with reference to Figures 1 to 4 provided.

[0015] Referring to Figure 1 , the network environment 100 can involve a user equipment 110, e.g., a mobile device or smartphone, in wireless communication with a wireless network 120 that is part of a communication network. The wireless network 120 can be one or more public land mobile networks (PLMNs) including a 5G / NR domain and / or a 4G / LTE domain. The wireless network 120 can also include various functions, e.g., an evolved packet system mobility management (EPS), an access and mobility management function (AMF), and a mobility management entity (MME). The user equipment 110 can initially be in wireless communication with the wireless network 120 through a base station or network node 125, e.g., an eNB, gNB, or transmission reception point (TRP). In the network environment 100, the user equipment 110 and the wireless network 120 can implement various schemes related to handling procedures performed on a restricted radio access technology in mobile communications according to the present disclosure, as described herein.

[0016] Notably, while various proposed solutions can be described below separately or individually, in actual implementations, some or all of the proposed solutions can be used in conjunction or otherwise implemented. Of course, each proposed solution can be used or otherwise implemented separately or individually. Further, as used herein, lower layers can refer to layers in the 5GMM protocol stack that are lower than the radio resource control (RRC) layer, such as the packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer, the radio link control (RLC) layer, the medium access control (MAC) layer, the physical (PHY) layer, and the like.

[0017] According to proposed solutions in accordance with the present disclosure, in a case where a user equipment 110 initiates a procedure, such as a tracking area update procedure, an attach procedure, a registration procedure, or a service request (SR) procedure, and a wireless network 120, such as an EMM or AMF of the network, determines that a radio access technology used by the user equipment 110 is part of the radio access technology utilization restrictions, the wireless network 120 can send or otherwise send a reject message to the user equipment 110 with a new or existing fifth generation mobility management (5GMM) or EMM cause value. Further, the wireless network 120 can send or send a new extended cause to the user equipment 110 to provide more details of the rejection cause.

[0018] According to proposed solutions, the rejection cause and / or the extended cause can indicate that the radio access technology attempted to access is restricted in a public land mobile network (PLMN) and / or a tracking area identity (TAI) and / or a registration area (RA) and / or a cell that the user equipment 110 attempted to access. In the reject message, the wireless network 120 can also indicate whether there are other restricted radio access technologies on top of the radio access technology that the user equipment 110 attempted to use. Further, the wireless network 120 can include restricted radio access technology information related to the PLMN / TAI / RA / cell. Upon receiving the cause in the reject message, the user equipment 110 can attempt to select another radio access technology (allowed radio access technology) from the same / current PLMN, if available. Alternatively, the user equipment 110 can perform a PLMN selection in a case where there is no allowed radio access technology available in the current PLMN.

[0019] As a first implementation example, in a case where the user equipment 110 initiates a tracking area update procedure and a MME of the wireless network 120 determines that the radio access technology is part of the radio access technology utilization restrictions, the MME can set the EMM cause value to #15 (no suitable cell in tracking area) and the extended EMM cause information element (IE) to a value indicating “E-UTRAN not allowed” in a tracking area update reject message, and the MME can also include a list of restricted radio access technologies related to the current PLMN.

[0020] As a second implementation example, in case the reject message received by the user equipment 110 indicates cause #15 (no suitable cell in tracking area), the user equipment 110 can set the Fifth Generation System (5GS) update status to 5U3 roaming not allowed, and can store it according to 3GPP Technical Specification (TS) subclause 5.1.3.2.2. The user equipment 110 can reset the registration attempt counter. In addition, the user equipment 110 can enter the 5GMM-REGISTERED.LIMITED-SERVICE state. Furthermore, if an extended 5GMM cause information element with value “wireless access technology not allowed in the PLMN” is included in the registration reject (or attach / TAU / SR reject) message, and the message has passed the Non-Access Stratum (NAS) integrity check successfully, and the user equipment 110 is configured as “wireless access technology restriction supported via NAS signaling”, as specified in 3GPP TS 24.368 or 3GPP TS 31.102, the user equipment 110 can disable the wireless access technologies and / or the wireless access technologies indicated as restricted for NAS procedure attempts. The user equipment 110 can also search for a suitable cell from another / allowed wireless access technology in the PLMN, if available, or perform PLMN selection otherwise. Otherwise, the user equipment 110 can ignore the extended 5GMM cause information element, and search for a suitable cell in another tracking area according to 3GPP TS 38.304 or 3GPP TS 36.304.

[0021] As a third implementation example, the reject message can include a new or existing reject cause value plus a new information element dedicated to indicate restricted wireless access technologies. The new information element can be included in the reject message to indicate restricted wireless access technologies related to certain PLMN / TAI / RA / cell.

[0022] Figure 2 An example communication system 200 is shown that includes at least one example apparatus 210 and one example apparatus 220, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. The apparatus 210 and the apparatus 220 can perform various functions to implement the schemes, techniques, processes, and methods described herein related to handling procedures performed on restricted wireless access technologies in mobile communications, including various schemes described above with respect to various proposed designs, concepts, schemes, systems, and methods, including the network environment 100, and the processes described below.

[0023] Devices 210 and 220 can be part of an electronic device, which can be a network device or a user equipment (e.g., user equipment 110), such as a portable or mobile device, a wearable device, a vehicle, a wireless communication device, or a computing device. For example, devices 210 and 220 can be implemented in a smartphone, a smartwatch, a personal digital assistant, an electronic control unit (ECU) in a vehicle, a digital camera, or a computing device such as a tablet, a notebook, or a notebook computer. Devices 210 and 220 can also be part of a machine type device, which can be an Internet of Things device, such as an immobile or fixed device, a home device, a roadside unit (RSU), a wired communication device, or a computing device. For example, devices 210 and 220 can be implemented in a smart thermostat, a smart refrigerator, a smart door lock, a wireless speaker, or a home control center. When implemented in or as a network device, devices 210 and / or 220 can be implemented in an eNB in an LTE, LTE-Advanced, or LTE-Advanced Pro network, or in a gNB or a TRP in a 5G, NR, or Internet of Things network.

[0024] In some embodiments, devices 210 and 220 can be implemented in the form of one or more integrated circuit (IC) chips, such as but not limited to one or more single-core processors, one or more multi-core processors, one or more complex instruction set computing (CISC) processors, or one or more reduced instruction set computing (RISC) processors. In the various scenarios described above, devices 210 and 220 can be implemented in or as a network device or a user equipment. Devices 210 and 220 can include at least Figure 2 the components shown in FIG. 2, such as processors 212 and 222. Devices 210 and 220 can also include one or more other components that are unrelated to the proposed solutions of the present disclosure (e.g., an internal power supply, a display device, and / or a user interface device), and therefore, for simplicity and brevity, these components of devices 210 and 220 are neither shown in FIG. 2 nor described below. Figure 2

[0025] ​In one aspect, the processor 212 and the processor 222 can be implemented in the form of one or more single-core processors, one or more multi-core processors, or one or more CISC or RISC processors. That is, although the singular term "processor" is used herein to refer to the processor 212 and the processor 222, in some embodiments the processor 212 and the processor 222 can comprise multiple processors, while in other embodiments they are single processors, in accordance with the present disclosure. In another aspect, the processor 212 and the processor 222 can be implemented in the form of hardware (and, optionally, firmware), having electronic components, including, for example and without limitation, one or more transistors, one or more diodes, one or more capacitors, one or more resistors, one or more inductors, one or more memristors, and / or one or more varactors, which components are configured and arranged to carry out the specific purposes of the present disclosure. In other words, in at least some embodiments, the processor 212 and the processor 222 are special purpose machines, specially designed, arranged, and configured to carry out specific tasks, including those involving the processing of procedures performed on restricted wireless access technologies in mobile communications, in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0026] In some embodiments, the apparatus 210 can also include a transceiver 216 coupled with the processor 212. The transceiver 216 can wirelessly transmit and receive data. In some embodiments, the transceiver 216 can wirelessly communicate different types of wireless networks, with different radio access technologies (RATs). In some embodiments, the transceiver 216 can be equipped with multiple antenna ports (not shown), such as four antenna ports. That is, the transceiver 216 can be equipped with multiple transmit antennas and multiple receive antennas, for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless communications. In some embodiments, the apparatus 220 can also include a transceiver 226 coupled with the processor 222. The transceiver 226 can include a transceiver capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving data. In some embodiments, the transceiver 226 can wirelessly communicate different types of user equipment / wireless networks, with different radio access technologies (RATs). In some embodiments, the transceiver 226 can be equipped with multiple antenna ports (not shown), such as four antenna ports. That is, the transceiver 226 can be equipped with multiple transmit antennas and multiple receive antennas, for MIMO wireless communications.

[0027] In some embodiments, apparatus 210 can also include a memory 214 coupled with and accessible by processor 212 and capable of storing data. In some embodiments, apparatus 220 can also include a memory 224 coupled with and accessible by processor 222 and capable of storing data. Memory 214 and memory 224 can include a random access memory (RAM) such as a dynamic RAM (DRAM), a static RAM (SRAM), a thyristor RAM (T-RAM), and / or a zero capacitor RAM (Z-RAM). Alternatively, memory 214 and memory 224 can include a read only memory (ROM), such as a mask ROM, a programmable ROM (PROM), an erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), and / or an electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM). Alternatively, memory 214 and memory 224 can include a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), such as a flash memory, a solid state memory, a ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM), a magnetoresistive RAM (MRAM), and / or a phase change memory.

[0028] Apparatus 210 and apparatus 220 can be communication entities capable of communicating with each other using various proposed schemes of the present disclosure. For illustrative purposes and without loss of generality, apparatus 210 is provided below in the context of example processes 300 and 400 as a user equipment (e.g., user equipment 110) and apparatus 220 as a network node (e.g., network node 125) as capabilities of a network (e.g., wireless network 120 as a 5G / NR mobile network).

[0029] Figure 3 One example process 300 in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Process 300 can be representative of an aspect implementing various proposed designs, concepts, schemes, systems, and methods described above. More specifically, process 300 can be representative of an aspect of proposed concepts and schemes related to the present disclosure for handling procedures performed on a restricted wireless access technology in mobile communications. Process 300 can include one or more operations, actions, or functions as shown in blocks 310, 320, and 330. Although shown as discrete blocks, various blocks of process 300 can be split into more blocks, combined into fewer blocks, or omitted as desired for a particular implementation. Further, blocks / sub-blocks of process 300 can be performed in any order as Figure 3The order in which the process 300 is executed, or the order in which blocks / sub-blocks of the process 300 are executed, can be varied. Also, one or more blocks / sub-blocks of the process 300 can be repeated or iteratively executed. The process 300 can be implemented by or in the apparatus 210 and the apparatus 220, and any variants thereof. For illustrative purposes only and without limitation of scope, the process 300 is described in the following description with the apparatus 210 as a user equipment (e.g., the user equipment 110) and the apparatus 220 as a network's communication entity such as a network node or base station (e.g., the network node 125). The process 300 can start at block 310.

[0030] At 310, the process 300 can involve the processor 212 of the apparatus 210, as the user equipment 110, initiating, by the transceiver 216, a procedure with a network (e.g., the wireless network 120 by the apparatus 220 as the network node 125). The process 300 can proceed from 310 to 320.

[0031] At 320, the process 300 can involve the processor 212 receiving, by the transceiver 216 from the network, a rejection message in response to the initiating, the message containing a cause indicating a wireless access technology that the apparatus 210 attempts to access is restricted. The process 300 can proceed from 320 to 330.

[0032] At 330, the process 300 can involve the processor 212 selecting, by the transceiver 216, another wireless access technology or a new public land mobile network in response to the receiving.

[0033] In certain embodiments, the cause can indicate that the wireless access technology that the user equipment attempts to access is restricted in a public land mobile network, a tracking area identity, a registration area, or a cell that the user equipment attempts to access.

[0034] In certain embodiments, the cause can include a new or existing cause value and an information element (e.g., a new information element) indicating one or more restricted wireless access technologies related to one or more public land mobile networks, one or more tracking area identities, one or more registration areas, or one or more cells.

[0035] In certain embodiments, the information element can further indicate whether there is one or more other restricted wireless access technology in addition to the wireless access technology that the user equipment attempts to access.

[0036] In certain embodiments, the information element can further indicate information of one or more other restricted wireless access technologies related to the public land mobile network, the tracking area identity, the registration area, or the cell that the user equipment attempts to access.

[0037] In certain embodiments, the cause value can include a new or existing Fifth Generation Mobility Management or Evolved Packet System Mobility Management cause value.

[0038] In certain embodiments, during the initiation procedure, the process 300 can involve the processor 212 initiating a tracking area update procedure, an attach procedure, a registration procedure, or a service request procedure.

[0039] In certain embodiments, upon selecting another radio access technology or a new public land mobile network, the process 300 can involve the processor 212 selecting, from the same public land mobile network that the user equipment is attempting to access, another radio access technology that allows the user equipment to access.

[0040] In certain embodiments, upon selecting another radio access technology or a new public land mobile network, the process 300 can involve the processor 212 performing a public land mobile network selection in a case where there is no allowed radio access technology available in the current public land mobile network.

[0041] Figure 4 One example process 400 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The process 400 can represent one aspect of implementing the various proposed designs, concepts, schemes, systems, and methods described above. More specifically, the process 400 can represent one aspect of the proposed concepts and schemes related to the present disclosure that deal with handling procedures performed on restricted radio access technologies in mobile communications. The process 400 can include one or more operations, actions, or functions as shown in blocks 410, 420, and 430. Although shown as discrete blocks, each block of the process 400 can be divided into more blocks, combined into fewer blocks, or eliminated, depending on the desired implementation. Further, blocks / sub-blocks of the process 400 can be performed in the order shown in FIG. 4, or in a different order. Additionally, one or more blocks / sub-blocks of the process 400 can be performed repeatedly or iteratively. The process 400 can be implemented by or in the apparatuses 210 and 220, and any variants thereof. For illustrative purposes only and without limitation of the scope, the process 400 is described in the following description with the apparatus 210 as a user equipment (e.g., the user equipment 110) and the apparatus 220 as a network’s communication entity such as a network node or base station (e.g., the network node 125). The process 400 can start at block 410. Figure 4

[0042] At 410, the process 400 can involve the processor 222 of the apparatus 220, as the network node 125, receiving signaling from a user equipment (e.g., the apparatus 210) through the transceiver 226 to initiate a procedure with the network. The process 400 can proceed from 410 to 420.

[0043] ​At 420, the process 400 can involve the processor 222 determining that the wireless access technology that the user equipment attempts to access is part of the wireless access technology utilization restriction. The process 400 can proceed from 420 to 430.

[0044] At 430, the process 400 can involve the processor 222 sending, through the transceiver 226, a reject message to the user equipment, the message containing a cause indicating that the wireless access technology is restricted, in response to the determination.

[0045] In certain embodiments, the cause can indicate that the wireless access technology that the user equipment attempts to access is restricted in a public land mobile network, a tracking area identity, a registration area, or a cell that the user equipment attempts to access.

[0046] In certain embodiments, the cause can include a new or existing cause value and an information element (e.g., a new information element) indicating one or more restricted wireless access technologies related to one or more public land mobile networks, one or more tracking area identities, one or more registration areas, or one or more cells.

[0047] In certain embodiments, the information element can also indicate whether there is one or more other restricted wireless access technology in addition to the wireless access technology that the user equipment attempts to access.

[0048] In certain embodiments, the information element can also indicate information of one or more other restricted wireless access technologies related to the public land mobile network, the tracking area identity, the registration area, or the cell that the user equipment attempts to access.

[0049] In certain embodiments, the cause value can include a new or existing Fifth Generation Mobility Management or Evolved Packet System Mobility Management cause value.

[0050] In certain embodiments, in receiving the signaling, the process 400 can involve the processor 222 receiving the signaling to initiate a tracking area update procedure, an attach procedure, a registration procedure, or a service request procedure.

[0051] The subject matter described herein is sometimes illustrated using different components contained within, or connected with, different other components. It is to be understood that such depicted architectures are merely examples, and that in fact many other architectures can be implemented to achieve the same functionality. In a conceptual sense, any arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality is effectively "associated" such that the desired functionality is achieved. Hence, any two components herein combined to achieve a particular functionality can be seen as "associated with" each other to achieve the desired functionality, irrespective of architectures or intermediate components. Likewise, any two components so associated can also be viewed as being "operably connected", or "operably coupled", to each other to achieve the desired functionality, and any two components capable of being so associated can also be viewed as being "operably couplable", to each other to achieve the desired functionality. Specific examples of operably couplable include but are not limited to physically mateable and / or physically interacting components and / or wirelessly interactable and / or wirelessly interacting components and / or logically interacting and / or logically interactable components.

[0052] Also, with regards to the use of nearly any plural and / or singular term herein, those having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular and / or from the singular to the plural as is appropriate to the context and / or application. The various singular / plural permutations can be explicitly set forth herein for sake of clarity.

[0053] Further, those skilled in the art will appreciate that, in general, the terms used herein, especially in the appended claims, such as "comprise", "comprising", "have", "having", "include", "including", "contain", "containing" and the like, are to be interpreted inclusively and open-ended, e.g., "comprising" should be interpreted as meaning "including, but not limited to", "having" should be interpreted as meaning "having at least", "including" should be interpreted as meaning "including, but not limited to", and the like. Those skilled in the art will further appreciate that, if a specific number of an introduced claim statement is intended, such an intent would be explicitly stated in the claim, and no such intent exists in the absence of such a statement. For example, to aid understanding, the following appended claims can contain the use of introductory phrases such as "at least one" and "one or more" to introduce claim statements. However, the use of these phrases should not be interpreted as implying that the inclusion of such introduced claim statements by the indefinite article "a" or "an" limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim statements to contain only one such statement, even if the same claim includes the introductory phrase "one or more" or "at least one" and the indefinite article such as "a" or "an", e.g., "a" and / or "an" should be interpreted as "at least one" or "one or more"; the same applies to the definite article used to introduce claim statements. Moreover, even if a specific number of an introduced claim statement is explicitly stated, those skilled in the art will recognize that such a statement should be interpreted as stating at least the stated number, e.g., a simple statement of "two statements" without further modifier means at least two statements, or two or more statements. Furthermore, in those instances where a convention similar to "at least one A, B, and C, etc." is used, generally such structure is understood by those skilled in the art to be the meaning of the convention, e.g., "a system having at least one A, B, and C" would include, but not be limited to, a system having A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and / or A, B, and C together, etc. In those instances where a convention similar to "at least one A, B, or C, etc." is used, generally such structure is understood by those skilled in the art to be the meaning of the convention, e.g., "a system having at least one A, B, or C" would include, but not be limited to, a system having A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and / or A, B, and C together, etc. Those skilled in the art will further appreciate that almost any disjunctive word and / or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in descriptions, claims, or diagrams, should be understood to contemplate the possibility of including one of the terms, any of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase "A or B" would be understood to include the possibilities of "A" or "B" or "A and B".

[0054] From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that various embodiments of the disclosure have been described herein for purposes of illustration, and that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Accordingly, the various embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to limit the true scope and spirit of the disclosure, which is defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A method comprising: initiating, by a processor of a user equipment, a procedure with a network; receiving, by the processor, a rejection message from the network in response to the initiating, the rejection message including a cause indicating a wireless access technology that the user equipment attempts to access is restricted; and selecting, by the processor, another wireless access technology or a new public land mobile network in response to the receiving.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cause indicates the wireless access technology that the user equipment attempts to access is restricted in a public land mobile network, a tracking area identity, a registration area, or a cell that the user equipment attempts to access.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the cause includes a new or existing cause value and an information element indicating one or more restricted wireless access technologies related to one or more public land mobile networks, one or more tracking area identities, one or more registration areas, or one or more cells.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the information element further indicates whether there is one or more other restricted wireless access technologies in addition to the wireless access technology that the user equipment attempts to access.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the information element further indicates information of one or more other restricted wireless access technologies related to the public land mobile network, the tracking area identity, the registration area, or the cell that the user equipment attempts to access.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the cause value includes a new or existing Fifth Generation Mobility Management or Evolved Packet System Mobility Management cause value.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the initiating of the procedure includes initiating a tracking area update procedure, an attach procedure, a registration procedure, or a service request procedure.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting another wireless access technology or the new public land mobile network includes selecting another wireless access technology allowed for the user equipment to access from a same public land mobile network that the user equipment attempts to access.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting another wireless access technology or the new public land mobile network includes performing a public land mobile network selection in a case that there is no allowed wireless access technology available in a current public land mobile network.

10. A method comprising: receiving, by a processor of a network node, signaling from a user equipment to initiate a procedure with the network; determining, by the processor, that a wireless access technology that the user equipment attempts to access is part of a wireless access technology utilization restriction; and sending, by the processor, a rejection message to the user equipment including a cause indicating the wireless access technology is restricted in response to the determining.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the cause indicates the wireless access technology that the user equipment attempts to access is restricted in a public land mobile network, a tracking area identity, a registration area, or a cell that the user equipment attempts to access.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the cause includes a new or existing cause value and an information element indicating one or more restricted radio access technologies associated with one or more public land mobile networks, one or more tracking area identities, one or more registration areas, or one or more cells.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the information element further indicates whether one or more other restricted radio access technologies in addition to the radio access technology that the user equipment attempts to access.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the information element further indicates information of one or more other restricted radio access technologies associated with the public land mobile network, tracking area identity, registration area, or cell that the user equipment attempts to access.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the cause value includes a new or existing Fifth Generation Mobility Management or Evolved Packet System Mobility Management cause value.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the receiving of the signaling includes receiving the signaling to initiate a tracking area update procedure, an attach procedure, a registration procedure, or a service request procedure.

17. An apparatus implementable in a user equipment, comprising: a transceiver configured for wireless communication; and a processor coupled with the transceiver and configured to perform operations including: initiating, by the transceiver, a procedure with a network; receiving, by the transceiver from the network, a rejection message in response to the initiating, the rejection message containing a cause indicating that a radio access technology that the user equipment attempts to access is restricted; and selecting, by the transceiver, another radio access technology or a new public land mobile network in response to the receiving.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the cause includes a new or existing cause value and an information element indicating one or more restricted radio access technologies associated with one or more public land mobile networks, one or more tracking area identities, one or more registration areas, or one or more cells.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the initiating of the procedure includes initiating a tracking area update procedure, an attach procedure, a registration procedure, or a service request procedure.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the selecting of the another radio access technology or the new public land mobile network includes: selecting the another radio access technology that allows the user equipment to access from a same public land mobile network as a current public land mobile network in which the user equipment currently camps on; or performing a public land mobile network selection in a case that no allowed radio access technology is available in the current public land mobile network.

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