5.4.3 Identification procedure

24.5013GPPNon-Access-Stratum (NAS) protocol for 5G System (5GS)Release 18Stage 3TS

Tools: ARFCN - Frequency Conversion for 5G NR/LTE/UMTS/GSM

5.4.3.1 General

The purpose of this procedure is to request a particular UE to provide specific identification parameters, e.g. the SUCI, the IMEI, the IMEISV, the EUI-64 or the MAC address. The SUCI is a privacy preserving identifier containing the concealed SUPI and the IMEI, the IMEISV, the EUI-64 and the MAC address are formats of PEI.

5.4.3.2 Identification initiation by the network

The AMF initiates the identification procedure by sending an IDENTITY REQUEST message to the UE and starting timer T3570 (see example in figure 5.4.3.2.1). The IDENTITY REQUEST message specifies the requested identification parameters in the Identity type information element.

Figure 5.4.3.2.1: Identification procedure

5.4.3.3 Identification response by the UE

A UE shall be ready to respond to an IDENTITY REQUEST message at any time whilst in 5GMM-CONNECTED mode.

Upon receipt of the IDENTITY REQUEST message:

a) if the Identity type IE in the IDENTITY REQUEST message is not set to "SUCI", the UE shall send an IDENTITY RESPONSE message to the network. The IDENTITY RESPONSE message shall contain the identification parameters as requested by the network; and

b) if the Identity type IE in the IDENTITY REQUEST message is set to "SUCI", the UE shall:

1) if timer T3519 is not running, generate a fresh SUCI as specified in 3GPP TS 33.501 [24], send an IDENTITY RESPONSE message with the SUCI, start timer T3519 and store the value of the SUCI sent in the IDENTITY RESPONSE message; and

2) if timer T3519 is running, send an IDENTITY RESPONSE message with the stored SUCI.

5.4.3.4 Identification completion by the network

Upon receipt of the IDENTITY RESPONSE the network shall stop the timer T3570.

5.4.3.5 Abnormal cases in the UE

The following abnormal cases can be identified:

a) Transmission failure of the IDENTITY RESPONSE message (if the identification procedure is triggered by a registration procedure).

The UE shall re-initiate the registration procedure.

b) Requested identity is not available

If the UE cannot encode the requested identity in the IDENTITY RESPONSE message, e.g. because no valid USIM is available, then it shall encode the identity type as "No identity".

5.4.3.6 Abnormal cases on the network side

The following abnormal cases can be identified:

a) Lower layer failure.

Upon detection of a lower layer failure before the IDENTITY RESPONSE is received, the network shall abort any ongoing 5GMM procedure.

b) Expiry of timer T3570.

The network shall, on the first expiry of the timer T3570, retransmit the IDENTITY REQUEST message and reset and restart the timer T3570. This retransmission is repeated four times, i.e. on the fifth expiry of timer T3570, the network shall abort the identification procedure and any ongoing 5GMM procedure.

c) Collision of an identification procedure with a registration procedure for initial registration.

If the network receives a REGISTRATION REQUEST message indicating either "initial registration" or "emergency registration" in the 5GS registration type IE before the ongoing identification procedure has been completed and no registration procedure is pending on the network (i.e. no REGISTRATION ACCEPT/REJECT message has still to be sent as an answer to a REGISTRATION REQUEST message), the network shall proceed with the registration procedure for initial registration.

d) Collision of an identification procedure with a registration procedure for initial registration when the identification procedure has been caused by a registration procedure for initial registration.

If the network receives a REGISTRATION REQUEST message indicating either "initial registration" or "emergency registration" in the 5GS registration type IE before the ongoing identification procedure has been completed and a registration procedure for initial registration is pending (i.e. a REGISTRATION ACCEPT/REJECT message has to be sent as an answer to an earlier REGISTRATION REQUEST message), then:

– If one or more of the information elements in the REGISTRATION REQUEST message differ from the ones received within the previous REGISTRATION REQUEST message, the network shall proceed with the new registration procedure for initial registration; or

– If the information elements do not differ, then the network shall not treat any further this new REGISTRATION REQUEST message.

e) Collision of an identification procedure with a registration procedure for mobility and periodic registration update.

If the network receives a REGISTRATION REQUEST message indicating either "mobility registration updating" or "periodic registration updating" in the 5GS registration type IE before the ongoing identification procedure has been completed, the network shall progress both procedures.

f) Collision of an identification procedure with a UE initiated de-registration procedure.

If the network receives a DEREGISTRATION REQUEST message with "switch off" indication in the De-registration type IE before the ongoing identification procedure has been completed, the network shall abort the identification procedure and shall progress the UE-initiated de-registration procedure;

Else the network shall complete the identification procedure and shall respond to the UE-initiated de-registration procedure as described in subclause 5.5.2.2.