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Apple patents method to block phones from specific 5G network slices

Patent drawing
Patent drawing from the official filing.

Apple has filed a patent application describing a way for a phone to be blocked from connecting to specific parts of a 5G network, known as network slices. The phone gathers information about the network cell, checks if it is allowed to connect, and then attempts to establish a standard connection if permitted.

Why it mattersThis is a technical improvement to how 5G networks manage connections, ensuring phones only access the network segments they are authorized to use.

In the filing’s own words

A user equipment (UE) may be barred from accessing one or more network slices. The UE collects information to perform an access barring procedure corresponding to a cell of a network, performs an accessing barring procedure using the information, performs a random access channel (RACH) procedure with the cell and establishes a radio resource control (RRC) connection with the cell.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1 - 20. (canceled)

Facts

Company
Apple (Apple Inc.)
Official title
Access Barring for Radio Access Network Slicing
Publication number
US20260304291A1
Application number
19706208
Filed
Jun 12, 2026
Published
Oct 1, 2026
Inventors
10
Claims
20

Classified under

H04W 48/02 Electricity & electronicsH04W 74/0833 Electricity & electronics
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.