Method of operating a telecommunications network

• Main Author: Maria Cuevas Ramirez
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 25.10.2023
• Subjects: ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHICCOMMUNICATION; WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS

User equipment (UE) 110 accessing cellular networks 100-1 (CN) have long term identifiers controlled by the CN (e.g. IMSI) which may be stored in a device identifier (DI) 130-2 record. 5G cellular network allow access via non cellular networks 100-2 (NCN) (e.g. a wireless access point 140) using the N3IWF 130-1 (Non-3GPP Inter Working Function). The UE uses an address (e.g. a MAC address) when communicating with/via the NCN. The UE may change the address (e.g. MAC randomisation) to improve privacy. When the UE connects to the CN directly or via the NCN, the CN creates a mapping between the long term ID, the address and a further identifier (this is usually different from the long term ID) and provides the address: further ID map to the NCN. This may happen when a UE accesses the CN with a second or subsequent different address. The NCN may associate UE activity with the further ID via the address: further ID map, and thus track UE activity across address changes.