Abstract: A network transmits (broadcasts) an access mode indicator that indicates whether a closed subscriber group CSG network is being operated as open or closed and if it indicates open a user equipment UE that is not a registered member of the CSG is allowed access as a guest member. a user group of the closed subscriber group network and allowing the user equipment access to the closed subscriber group network as a guest member. The CSG network can provide higher priority services to its registered members by differentiating them over guest members by an indication, received from each UE in its RADIO RESOURCE CONTROL CONNECTION REQUEST message, whether it is registered or a guest. The CSG can also transmit its ID/name for display at the UE so they may select whether and which CSG to join.

Abstract: Mobility in E-UTRAN might not rely on neighbor cell list. In such a case, the user equipment (UE) may be responsible for finding cells and reporting to the network. Consequently signaling load may be increased and also handover (HO) performance can be degraded for the cases in which the target cell proposed by the UE is not good. Certain embodiments of the present invention give the operator some control of the signaling load and HO performance by providing a list of forbidden cells with regard to which the UE does not have to search and report.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods and computer program products operate an electronic device to receive through from a wireless communications network a prioritized list of radio access technologies; to store the prioritized list of radio access technologies in a memory of the electronic device; and to consult the prioritized list of radio access technologies during cell selection and reselection operations. In variants the radio access technologies listed in the prioritized list of radio access technologies can be E-UTRAN, UTRAN or GERAN. In a further variant to consult the prioritized list may mean to compare at least one of a signal measurement and a quality measurement with at least one threshold established for a certain radio access technology appearing in the prioritized list, and to select/reselect to the certain radio access technology only if the at least one of the signal measurement and the quality measurement exceeds the threshold.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided that improve mobility procedures between base stations based on rules configurable by the operator that govern both the mobile terminal and the base stations. A method is provided in which a mobile terminal obtains system information from a neighboring base station. The system information is stored at the mobile terminal such that the mobile terminal may thereafter participate in a handover or reselection to a respective neighboring base station at least partially based upon the stored system information, typically without further verification of the system information. If desired, the mobile terminal can further determine if one or more predefined validity criterion is met with respect to the stored system information. If the predefined validity criterion is not met, the mobile terminal can then obtain system information, e.g., updated system information, from the neighboring base station.

Abstract: Access verification is adaptively done using an identifier of a first or a second length, by comparing a field of a node address that has the determined first or second length against a locally stored access list. At least the compared field of the node address is either added to a locally stored list of cell selection candidate nodes where the access list is allowed identifiers, or excluded from it where the access list is restricted identifiers. The node identifier is in three sections. The first section is service type, which the UE can use to determine whether or not it is restricted/allowed. The first length is the length of the second section, which is a service area ID of a group of network nodes. The second length is the length of the second section plus the third section, which identifies one node of the group of network nodes.

Abstract: A user equipment initiates a signalling free mode after detecting a ping-pong effect of repeated changes between routing areas of two networks. The user equipment starts a timer and monitors whether a switch of networks occurs. Such a switch indicates a change of a routing area to which the user equipment is connected. When detecting such a switch, the timer is reset. If the timer expires before a network switch is detected, the user equipment deactivates a signalling free mode, and optionally sends an area update message to a network for informing the network of the actual routing area of the user equipment.

Abstract: Method and system for optimization of a handoff of a user equipment between packet switched and circuit switched networks in response to a request for circuit switched network services on the user equipment while the user equipment is resident on a packet switched only network. The system includes a mobile device, a first network, and a second network. The first network includes a third network and an interworking unit. The second network communicates with the first network. The mobile device sends registration information to the first network. The third network sends the registration information to the interworking unit. The interworking unit sends the registration information to the second network to provide a communication link between the mobile device and the second network.

Abstract: A method of managing access areas in a communication system is disclosed. In the method information regarding a detected access area is received from at least one mobile device, the detected access area being an access area that is not included in a set of available access areas. Potential of the detected access area is then predicted based on the information received from the at least one mobile device. A decision is then made, based on the predicted potential, if the detected access area can be included into the set of available access areas.

Abstract: According to embodiments of the invention, user equipment (UE) performs inter-radio access technology (RAT) neighbour cell measurements during an idle mode of the UE. The inter-RAT measurement results may be stored in an internal memory of the UE during the Idle mode. When the UE initiates a connection setup, an inter-RAT measurement report containing inter-RAT measurement results obtained during the idle mode is sent to the network at the connection setup. Consequently, the inter-RAT measurement information is immediately available for a network decision at the beginning of the connected mode. For example, an inter-RAT handover can be decided and performed without a delay, based on the inter-RAT measurements made in advance during the idle mode and reported at the connection setup.