Abstract: A wireless access point is configured to regularly monitor the status of WLAN, WAN and ePDG data links to determine whether the current connections are sufficient to support VoWiFI services. When a device connects to the WLAN of the hub and attempts to switch from its VoLTE service to VoWiFi via the hub, the hub is configured to determine whether the current conditions can satisfy a VoWiFi connection. If the VoWiFi service can support the connection, the request is routed to the ePDG associated with the mobile device's subscriber LTE network. However, if the current conditions cannot satisfactorily support a VoWiFi connection such that incoming calls may be missed or the quality of active calls would not be clear, then the hub is configured to block the request so that the client device will time out and remain connected to VoLTE.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein provide a hybrid fiber-copper access network in which a main OLT sends data to the DSLAMs via a plurality of point-to-point optical fiber connections. A standby OLT is provided which has a plurality of point-to-multi-point optical fiber connections to the DSLAMs. In the event of a failure, data can be sent to some of the DSLAMs via the standby OLT and the point-to-multi-point optical fiber connections. Following the rectification of the fault, the network can revert to its normal state and transmit data to the DSLAMs via the main OLT and the plurality of point-to-point optical fiber connections.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of executing a plurality of discrete software modules each including a machine learning algorithm as an executable software component configurable to approximate a function relating a domain data set to a range data set; a data store; and a message handler as an executable software component arranged to receive input data and communicate output data for the module, wherein the message handler is adapted to determine domain parameters for the algorithm based on the input data and to generate the output data based on a result generated by the algorithm, the method including providing a communication channel between modules in order that at least part of output data for a first module constitutes at least part of input data for a second module so as to create a network of modules for combining machine learning algorithms to refine the approximation of the function.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of executing a machine learning algorithm includes providing the machine learning algorithm as an executable software component configured to receive machine learning parameters and generate a machine learning result, wherein the machine learning algorithm is operable with a data store; providing a message handler as an executable software component arranged to receive input data and communicate output data for the module, wherein the message handler is adapted to determine the machine learning parameters based on the input data and to generate the output data based on the machine learning result so as to provide a common interface via the input and output data for the machine learning algorithm taken from a set of heterogeneous algorithms.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of executing a software module includes a machine learning algorithm as an executable software component configurable to approximate a function relating a domain data set to a range data set; a data store; and a message handler as an executable software component arranged to receive input data and communicate output data for the module, wherein the message handler is adapted to determine domain parameters for the algorithm based on the input data and to generate the output data based on a result generated by the algorithm, the method including generating a message as input data for the module, the message including instructions for execution by the module to effect a modification of the machine learning algorithm of the module.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of validating use of a computing resource by a an executing requester software module from a plurality of discrete software modules, the method including validating a characteristic of the requester software module; generating a first transaction defining criteria for consumption of the computing resource by the requester software module, the first transaction being encrypted with a private key from a public key/private key pair and being added as part of a block of transactions to a blockchain data structure; generating a subsequent encrypted transaction corresponding to a request of the requester software module to consume the computing resource, the subsequent transaction referring to the first transaction, wherein the subsequent transaction is validated by a transaction miner computing component from a plurality of miners by authenticating the transaction using the public key and verifying compliance with the criteria defined in each transaction.

Abstract: A transmitter for transmitting data, using a discrete multi-tone modulation technique, to one or more receiver devices, each of which is connected to the transmitter device via at least one respective pair of wires, each receiver device being operable to receive signals detected as a change over time in the potential difference across the local ends of each respective pair of wires extending between the receiver and the transmitter device, is operable to transmit signals onto the wires extending between the transmitter device and the one or more receiver devices in a plurality of different modes, over a plurality of different channels, the different modes including phantom and differential modes and the different channels including a first set of phantom channels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transmitting data from a transmitter device to one or more receiver devices connected to the transmitter device via a respective wire connection, the transmitter device being operable to transmit signals onto the wire connections and a further wire connection at different tones, the method comprising: for each tone, measuring electromagnetic coupling between the further wire connection and each of the wire connections and using the measurements, identifying a wire connection that most strongly receives crosstalk interference from the further wire connection; based on the identifications, for each tones, allocating signals transmitted on the further wire connection as supporting signals for a particular wire connection; transmitting a first signal onto the particular wire connection that has been allocated a supporting signal; and transmitting a second signal onto the further wire connection, thereby to cause crosstalk interference in the particular wire connection transmitting the f

Abstract: The invention sets out a method where a critical loading related to jitter associated with a link between the access point and a client device is determined. This critical load is the load beyond which retransmissions are insufficient for the client device to repair the video stream. The critical load is determined by sending data at varying transmission rates during a calibration mode, and measuring the jitter and packet loss rate. A safe load is then set as a fraction of this critical load. The loading associated with a multicast stream is then monitored with reference to this safe load, and if the safe load is met or exceeded, then action is taken to avoid packet loss increasing to a critical level. One action may be to adjust the transmission rate of the multicast stream for example, such that the load is reduced to below the safe load level.

Abstract: Network management equipment described herein includes a User Equipment, basestation and network management entity for implementing a network management method. The network management method can include transmitting, at a first basestation a first message including a Closed Subscriber Group (CSG) identifier; determining, for a User Equipment (UE) whether the CSG identifier is present on a first allowed CSG list; determining the allowed service level for the UE, the allowed service level indicating one of at least a first and second allowed service level; and connecting the UE to the first basestation if the CSG identifier is present on the first allowed CSG list, wherein the Quality of Service (QoS) for the UE is dependent on the allowed service level.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transmitting data from a transmitter device to one or more receiver devices connected to the transmitter device via a respective wire connection, the transmitter device being operable to transmit signals onto the wire connections and a further wire connection at different tones, the method comprising: for each tone, allocating signals transmitted on the further wire connection as supporting signals for a particular wire connection, and measuring electromagnetic coupling between the further wire connection and that particular wire connection; using the measurements, determining a power allocation for transmitting a supporting signal on the further wire connection; for one or more of the tones: transmitting a signal onto the particular wire connection, and transmitting a supporting signal onto the further wire connection at the determined transmission power, thereby to cause crosstalk interference in the particular wire connection.

Abstract: A method for operating a communications network node, the node including a first amplified optical section, a second non-optical section, and an optical bypass section the method including receiving at the node, a first optical channel at a first wavelength and a second optical channel at a second wavelength; directing the first optical channel to the first amplified optical section; directing the second optical channel to the second non-optical section during a first time period; and directing the second optical channel to the optical bypass section during a second time period.

Abstract: A method in a cellular telecommunications network having a first central base station unit connecting to each of a plurality of distributed base station units, including identifying a cluster of distributed base station units within the plurality of distributed base station units, wherein each member of the cluster has a neighboring relationship with another member of the cluster that satisfies a threshold; using a first functional split in which a first set of protocol functions are implemented in the first central base station unit and a second set of protocol functions are implemented by each member of the cluster of distributed base station units; identifying a change in the membership of the cluster of distributed base station units; and, in response, causing the first central base station unit and each member of the cluster of distributed base station units to implement a second functional split in which a third set of protocol functions are implemented in the first central base station unit and a fourt

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method in a cellular telecommunications network, and a network node for implementing the method, the cellular telecommunications network including a base station having a coverage area, and a plurality of User Equipment (UE) located within the base station's coverage area, the method including instructing a first plurality of UEs to report their location; associating an occurrence of a connection performance indication for each UE of the first plurality of UEs with a reported location for that UE; defining a first geographical region in which the density of reported locations is above a first density threshold; defining a second geographical region in which the density of reported locations is above a second density threshold, wherein the area of the first geographical region is greater than the area of the second geographical region; instructing a second plurality of UEs within the first geographical region to report their location at a first reporting rate; and instructing a thi

Abstract: There is provided a method, and a network node for implementing the method, in a cellular telecommunications network. The cellular telecommunications network includes a first and second base station, the first base station having a first interface for communicating with a first cellular core networking node and a second interface for wirelessly communicating with the second base station, the second base station being mobile and having a first interface for wirelessly communicating with the first base station and a second interface for communicating with a User Equipment (UE), wherein the UE's user traffic is transmitted between the first cellular core networking node and the UE via the first and second base stations.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of providing whole disk encryption for a virtualized computer system including providing a hypervisor having a data store and instantiating a disk image of the virtualized computer system as a first virtual machine (VM) having a virtual disk from which an operating system of the first VM can be booted; instantiating a second VM in the hypervisor including a software component executing therein, wherein the data store is a shared data store accessible by both the first and second VMs, the method further comprising: the software component accessing the first VM using privileged credentials to install a software agent in the first VM and to replicate the virtual disk of the first VM in the hypervisor data store as a duplicate disk, wherein the software agent is adapted to encrypt data written to, and decrypt data read from, the disk of the first VM at a runtime of the first VM; and the software component encrypting the duplicate disk and unmounting the copied disk and mounting the e

Abstract: This disclosure provides a base station for a cellular network, and a method of operating the base station in the cellular network, the cellular network also including a second base station, wherein the first and second base stations include first and second oscillators providing a first and second periodic timing pulse respectively, the method including determining a relative timing offset between a first instance of the first periodic timing pulse for transmission of a frame from the first base station and a first instance of the second periodic timing pulse for transmission of a frame from the second base station; determining that the relative timing offset is changeable; and adjusting the first periodic timing pulse to maintain the relative timing offset by varying a first period between instances of the first periodic timing pulse such that the rate of change of the relative timing offset over time is reduced.

Abstract: A method for deploying virtualized network functions (VNFs) as virtualized implementations of logical network devices in a virtualized computing environment for providing network services, the method including determining a VNF deployment plan including a specification, for each point in time over a planning period, of zero or more VNF instances to be released at the point in time and zero or more VNF instances to be deployed at the point in time, wherein the deployment plan is determined by an optimization function based on: a constraint on a number of VNFs in all states of undeployed, being deployed, deployed and being release; constraints based on a demand for VNFs defined by characteristics of the VNFs and the virtualized computing environment; and constraints based on a capacity of the virtualized computing environment to accommodate a resource consumption of the VNFs, and wherein the optimization function is configured to minimize one or more of: a number of VNFs in a deployed state; and a resource cost

Abstract: A computer implemented method of a receiving secure computing component to provide access to a cryptographic key for a key requester, the key being associated with an owning secure computing component by a digitally signed record in a blockchain wherein the blockchain is accessible via a network and includes a plurality of records validated by miner computing components, wherein the key requester has associated a quantity of cryptocurrency by a digitally signed record in the blockchain, the method including receiving a request from the key requester to access the key; generating a first new record for storage in the blockchain to transfer a predetermined quantity of cryptocurrency associated with the requester to be associated with the receiving component, the first new record being validated by the miner components; responsive to the validation of the first new record, communicating a request to the owning component to transfer the key to the receiving component; responsive to securely receiving the key at t

Abstract: A method of allocating resources in a network for the transmission of a data flow is disclosed. The method involves receiving a query specifying one or more quality-of-service (QoS) requirements for the data flow and identifying, based on the specified QoS requirements, one or more QoS models from a set of stored QoS models, each QoS model defining a class of service available in the network. A query response specifying the identified QoS models is transmitted. Subsequently, a reservation request is received specifying at least one of the identified QoS models. Resources are allocated in the network for the data flow based on the at least one QoS model specified in the reservation request.