Abstract: A method and system for controlling PRB allocation in dual-connectivity service in which a first access node serves a UE on a first carrier concurrently with a second access node serving the UE on a second carrier. In an example implementation, the first and second access nodes interwork with each other to select a pair of (i) a first group of PRBs within the first carrier for uplink transmission from the UE to the first access node and (ii) a second group of PRBs within the second carrier for uplink transmission from the UE to the second access node, with the selecting being based on minimizing a maximum-power-reduction (MPR) that would be applied for concurrent transmission by the UE to the first access node and to the second access node. The access nodes could then accordingly coordinate the UE's concurrent uplink transmissions.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling handover of a wireless communication device from a first base station to a second base station. Upon detecting a trigger (such as load) for handing over at least one WCD from the first base station, the first base station or another entity selects at least one of the WCDs served by the first base station based on a determination that the WCD is not configured to support use of a particular communication scheme, such as a particular modulation scheme, that the first base station is configured to support using for air interface communication. Based at least in part on that determination, the first base station then selects the WCD. And the first base station processes handover of the selected WCD from being served by the first base station to being served by the second base station.

Abstract: A method and corresponding system for configuring an eNodeB for improved circuit-switched-fallback (CSFB) service. The method includes detecting that, during past CSFB call setup for UEs served by the eNodeB, UEs reported as a strongest fallback coverage area a fallback coverage area that is not included in the eNodeB's CSFB-candidate data. And the method includes responsively (i) determining, based on location information and based on an identifier of the reported fallback coverage area, a node of the fallback network that the eNodeB's network can contact to facilitate CSFB call setup in the reported fallback coverage area, and (ii) adding to the CSFB-candidate data a record of the reported coverage area in association with a node identifier of the determined node, the added record being thereafter useable by the eNodeB to facilitate CSFB call setup in the reported fallback coverage area for a UE served by the eNodeB.

Abstract: Selecting a subcarrier spacing for a wireless sector includes determining a predominant traffic type within the wireless sector, the predominant traffic type being based on traffic requirements of a plurality of wireless devices operating within the wireless sector, and selecting a subcarrier spacing for the wireless sector based on the predominant traffic type. Guaranteed bit rate, low-latency, VoIP, and heavy traffic types result in selection of wider subcarrier spacings, so as to limit inter-subcarrier interference.

Abstract: When a base station groups a given user equipment device (UE) together with one or more other UEs for multi-user multiple-input-multiple-output (MU-MIMO) service, the base station will predict a level of RF correlation between the given UE and the one or more other UEs of the group (e.g., based angular separation between beam direction of the UE and beam direction of each of the one or more other UEs). And the base station will use that predicted level of RF correlation as a basis to adjust a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) that the base station and the given UE will use for data communication with each other, so as to help improve data communication between the base station and the given UE in the presence of the predicted RF correlation.

Abstract: Given first and second base stations that have at least partially geographically-overlapping coverage on at least partially frequency-overlapping carriers, a determination could be made that the first base station supports voice-interworking service in which served UEs could separately receive voice-over-circuit service but that the second base station does not support voice-interworking service. And in response to at least that determination, the second base station could be given priority over the first base station for providing voice-over-packet service.

Abstract: When a base station is serving a plurality of UEs, the base station detects that a load level on a first RF carrier is greater than a threshold load level. The base station then decides, based at least in part on whether a UE is capable of being served by the base station on a second RF carrier, whether to limit allocation of resource blocks on the first RF carrier to the UE. The base station may then establish or modify an air interface connection with the UE to encompass resource blocks on the first RF carrier and/or resources blocks on one or more other RF carriers, in accordance with the limited allocation.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for configuring a handover threshold for wireless devices in a wireless network. A plurality of wireless devices operating in a radio range of an access node (AN) are instructed to report an actual maximum allowable transmit power value at the AN. The plurality of wireless devices are classified based on the reported actual maximum allowable transmit power value. Handover thresholds for the plurality of wireless devices are configured based on the classification.

Abstract: When multiple user equipment devices (UEs) are served with dual connectivity, with each UE being served by a first access node on a respective first connection according to a first RAT and all of the UE's respective first connections having a first carrier as anchor carrier for the dual connectivity, the first access node will detect that load on the first carrier is threshold high. And in response, the first access node will (i) select one or more of the UEs based on each of the selected one or more UEs being within uplink range of the first access node on a second carrier higher in frequency than the first carrier and (ii) for each selected UE, reconfigure the UE's respective first connection from having the first carrier as the anchor carrier for the dual connectivity to instead having the second carrier as the anchor carrier for dual connectivity.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and processing nodes are related to selective resource allocation in a wireless network. An exemplary method includes determining, at an access node, wireless services utilized by a plurality of wireless devices connected to the access node. The wireless services include a first type of wireless service and a second type of wireless service. The method also includes determining whether a first percentage of the plurality of wireless devices utilizing the first type of wireless service relative to the second type of wireless service is greater than or equal to a service type threshold. The method also includes selecting a dynamic allocation scheme if the first percentage of the plurality of wireless devices utilizing the first type of wireless service relative to the second type of wireless service is greater than or equal to the service type threshold.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling application of MU-MIMO. The disclosure provides for considering a device's rate of change of RF conditions as a basis to decide whether to provide the device with MU-MIMO service. For instance, a base station could determine which of the base station's served devices each have threshold low rate of change of RF conditions. And on at least that basis, the base station could select each such device to receive MU-MIMO service. Or faced with a choice between devices to receive MU-MIMO service, the base station could compare the devices' rates of change of RF conditions and could select the devices that have lower rate of change of RF conditions to receive MU-MIMO service.

Abstract: When a UE is served with standalone-connectivity under a first radio access technology (RAT) in a cell site that also supports dual-connectivity service under the first RAT and a second RAT, a decision will be made as to whether to configure the dual-connectivity service for the UE, with the decision being based on whether the UE is moving threshold quickly. If the UE is moving at least predefined-threshold quickly, then, based at least on that fact, the decision will be to not configure the dual-connectivity service for the UE. Whereas, if the UE is not moving at least predefined-threshold quickly, then, based at least on that fact, the decision will be to configure the dual-connectivity service for the UE. The UE's serving network will then operate according to the decision, to control whether the UE is provided with dual-connectivity service.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and processing nodes for communicating using at least two different radio access technologies (RATs) include determining whether or not an access node is capable of communicating using the at least two RATs (e.g. using 4G LTE and 5G NR, also known as 5G EN-DC), and instructing the access node to broadcast an indicator, wherein receiving the indicator, a wireless device can attach to both first and second RATs. The wireless device is further instructed to prioritize which combination of RATs to attach to based on a signal level transmitting using each RAT.

Abstract: When a base station is serving a plurality of devices on a common carrier and the base station is considering which subset of the UEs to group together with each other for MU-MIMO service, the base station could base the decision on a determination of whether the base station is serving the UEs of the subset on a common primary carrier. Or faced with a choice of which subset of UEs to group together with each other for MU-MIMO service, the base station could give priority to grouping UEs that the base station is serving on a common primary carrier, as compared with UEs that the base station is serving on a common carrier but not on a common primary carrier.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for scheduling resources in a wireless network are configured to perform operations including identifying one or more resources that are available for low-priority transmissions from an internet-of-things (IoT) device, determining that the available resources are non-contiguous, rescheduling scheduled resources until the available resources are contiguous, and scheduling the low-priority transmissions using the available resources.

Abstract: In accordance with the disclosure, when a base station is serving at least a threshold quantity of devices and the base station is allocating at least a threshold quantity of its air-interface resources per unit time, the base station will disable carrier-aggregation service, so as to help minimize or eliminate instances where the base station's carriers would be used as secondary component carriers for carrier-aggregation service and would not support MU-MIMO service. By disabling carrier-aggregation service in that scenario, air-interface resources that might otherwise have been used for secondary-component-carrier transmission without MU-MIMO service may then instead be available for use with MU-MIMO service, which may help to improve spectral efficiency.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and processing nodes for selecting a backhaul carrier for a relay node including instructing the relay node to attempt to attach to a guard band associated with a carrier that shares a characteristic of the preferred backhaul carrier. The characteristic can include a channel size threshold or a threshold frequency. A numerology of a communication channel within the guard band may be adjusted to enable the relay node to communicate with a donor access node using the guard band.

Abstract: A method and system to help control CoMP service in a V-RAN arrangement. The load on a cell site's fronthaul network interface between the cell site's RRH and the cell site's BBU is determined. And in response to detecting that the fronthaul load is threshold high, a limit will be imposed on application of CoMP service involving the cell site. For example, in response to detecting that the cell site's fronthaul network interface is threshold highly loaded, (i) the cell site could be made to use decentralized joint processing rather than centralized joint processing, (ii) a lower coverage strength threshold could be imposed as a basis to trigger CoMP service involving the cell site, and/or (iii) the quantity of uplink communication that is subject to CoMP service involving the cell site could be limited.

Abstract: Beamforming in massive MIMO networks includes monitoring a signal condition such as pathloss of wireless devices and, based thereon, selecting a type of reference signal for the wireless devices, the type selected from among a non-precoded reference signal, a beamformed reference signal, or a standard reference signal. Further, an MCS of the wireless devices is monitored and, based thereon, the type of reference signal is adjusted.

Abstract: Mitigating co-channel interference includes instructing a first access node to deploy a first radio air interface utilizing a first frequency band over a first default coverage area, instructing the first access node to deploy a second radio air interface utilizing a second frequency band over a first reduced coverage area, instructing a second access node to deploy a third radio air interface utilizing the first frequency band over a second reduced coverage area, and instructing the second access node to deploy a fourth radio air interface utilizing a second frequency band over a second default coverage area.