Access network discovery and selection function (ANDSF) is an entity within an evolved packet core (EPC) of the system architecture evolution (SAE) for 3GPP compliant mobile networks. The purpose of the ANDSF is to assist user equipment (UE) to discover non-3GPP access networks – such as Wi-Fi or WIMAX – that can be used for data communications in addition to 3GPP access networks (such as HSPA or LTE) and to provide the UE with rules policing the connection to these networks.
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An ANDSF can provide the following information to a UE, based on operator configuration:
The ANDSF communicates with the UE over the S14 reference point, which is essentially a synchronization of an OMA-DM management object (MO) specific to ANDSF.
The term ANDSF was first conceived by the 3GPP in Release 8 as part of the effort to standardise the behavior of the ever-growing abundance of 3GPP-compliant UEs (e.g. smartphones) that can also access non-3GPP data networks.
Multiple UE vendors are currently engaged in implementing the ANDSF MO as part of their Mobile Device Management frameworks, with releases expected during 2012 and onwards.