Abstract: A user entity (UE) such as a smartphone is configured to connect to both Wi-Fi and a Long Term Evolution (LTE) cellular network for voice and data services. For voice, the UE supports both Voice over LTE (VoLTE) and Voice over Wi-Fi (VoWiFi). When the UE is connected to VoWiFi and roaming from a first Wi-Fi access point to a second Wi-Fi access point, the UE and Mobility Management Entity in the cellular network carry out a preparatory handover to VoLTE to prevent service loss in the event of an unsuccessful VoWiFi connection from the second Wi-Fi access point.

Abstract: A method for the automatic pairing of a device (401) wirelessly with a user's secure WLAN provided by an access point (403), the pairing access point (403), that provides the secure wireless LAN and a second wireless LAN (e.g. a public Wi-Fi hotspot). A connection is established automatically between the device (401) and a wireless LAN provided by an available access point (410) using security credentials stored on the device (401). If it is determined that the available access point (410) is also the pairing access point (403), using the established connection to securely transfer second security credentials from the available access point (410) to the device (401). The transferred second security credentials can then be used to establish a secure connection between the device (401) and the first secure wireless LAN provided by the pairing access point (403).

Abstract: A method of determining the bandwidth of a link carrying a plurality of data streams between a plurality of sources and a plurality of destinations in a network, the method including sending data packets from a first data stream over the link from one source to one destination at a first transmission rate, and measuring an associated first packet loss rate; sending further data packets from the first data stream over the link from the one source to the one destination at a second transmission rate, and measuring an associated second packet loss rate; and determining the bandwidth of the link in dependence on the first and second packet loss rates and the first and second transmission rates.

Abstract: A method of dimensioning a link in a telecommunications network, and a device for implementing the method, the method including determining, for a first plurality of sets of traffic observations, wherein each set of the first plurality of sets includes a series of traffic observations each indicating the amount of traffic on a link within an observation interval of a particular duration for that set, a peak value of a traffic observation of the series of traffic observations within each set of the first plurality of sets and an average value of the series of traffic observations within each set of the first plurality of sets; calculating a first peak to average ratio for each observation interval duration based on the determined peak and average values within each set of the first plurality of sets; determining a goodness of fit value for a power function of the first peak to average ratio against its respective observation interval duration; selecting a dimensioning interval duration based on the determined

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 of delivering media content over a network, the media content including a plurality of temporal segments, wherein each temporal segment comprises a plurality of data packets, the method including: selecting an initial size of a first congestion window; delivering the plurality of data packets of a first segment using the first congestion window, the initial size of the first congestion window being used to control the size of the first congestion window for the duration of the first segment delivery; measuring the packet loss during the delivery of the first segment; determining an initial size of a second congestion window in dependence on the measured packet loss for the first segment; and delivering a second segment using the second congestion window, the initial size of the second congestion window being used to control the size of the second congestion window for the duration of the second segment delivery.

Abstract: A computer implemented method to identify a computer security threat based on communication via a computer network including receiving a definition of acceptable network communication characteristics for each of a plurality of communication protocols; receiving a set of security events for the communication, each security event including network communication characteristics for the communication; for each security event in the set of security events: a) identifying a communication protocol associated with the event; b) detecting deviations of network communication characteristics of the event from the acceptable network communication characteristics for the identified communication protocol; and c) generating a record of each deviation identifying a communication characteristic for which the deviation is detected, and identifying a computer security threat for the communication based on the records generated for the set of security events.

Abstract: A digital subscriber line transceiver for transmitting data over a twisted metallic pair using an orthogonal frequency division multiplex technique and employing a time division duplex mode of operation is operable to adopt a plurality of different framing structures including a first framing structure having a frame duration equal to a first predetermined frame duration period and including a downstream set of symbols and an upstream set of symbols, with gaps after each set of symbols summing to a total gap duration of one symbol duration. The different framing structures further include a second framing structure having a frame duration equal to the first predetermined frame duration period and including first and second downstream sets of symbols, first and second upstream sets of symbols and gaps after each of these sets of symbols summing to a total gap duration of an integer number of one or more symbol durations.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of data access to data stored in one or more data stores includes receiving a request to retrieve data from the one or more data stores; extracting characteristics of the request to classify the request according to a request classification; identifying a model for execution of one or more queries to one or more data stores; executing the one or more queries according to the model to formulate a response to the request, wherein the model for execution is identified based on a class of the request and includes an identification of one or more data stores to which the one or more queries are to be directed to formulate the response; and monitoring execution of one or more queries for a class of request and revising the model in accordance with predetermined criteria.

Abstract: Network addresses which are frequently accessed by user terminals are monitored by a network access point to which the terminals are connected, and the network access point then makes attempts to access the network addresses from time to time and makes reports to a network management system of any such network addresses that fail to respond. This increases the likelihood of detection and reporting of failures of active addresses before the user has need of them.

Abstract: An access control method for a restricted resource in a computer system having an operating system providing isolation between software processes executable in the operating system such that a first process executing in the operating system is prevented from accessing resources of a second process executing in the operating system, the method including receiving a software component for execution as an isolated process in the operating system; receiving a baseline profile for the software component defining characteristics of the software component at a runtime for identifying performance of the software component; generating a runtime profile of the software component in execution in the operating system defining characteristics of the component in execution; and permitting access by the software component to the restricted resource based on a comparison of the baseline profile and the runtime profile such that the software component exhibiting undesirable performance is precluded from accessing the restrict

Abstract: A computer implemented method for code distribution by a base station to a target device via a network, the distribution being made via one or more distribution servers arranged between the base station and the target device on the network, is disclosed.

Abstract: A method in a computer system having an operating system providing isolation between software processes executable in the operating system such that a first process executing in the operating system is prevented from accessing resources of a second process executing in the operating system, the method including receiving a software component for execution as an isolated process in the operating system; receiving a baseline profile for the software component defining one or more characteristics of the software component at a runtime for identifying performance of the software component; generating a runtime profile of the software component in execution in the operating system defining characteristics of the component in execution; and flagging the software component in execution based on a comparison of the baseline profile and the runtime profile so as to identify an undesirable performance of the software component.

Abstract: A method of operating a mobile device to access a voice service available at a cellular network, the mobile device having a cellular network interface for accessing the voice service via a cellular network base station and a non-cellular local area network interface for accessing the voice service via a wireless routing device and a cellular network gateway, the method including connecting to a non-cellular wireless local area network of the wireless routing device; sending a request to the cellular network gateway to access the voice service; receiving a request from a voice service access controller, for any observed wireless local area networks and cellular networks; generating a list of any observed non-cellular wireless local area networks and observed cellular networks; sending said list to the voice service access controller via the non-cellular local area network interface; receiving an identity of one of the listed networks from the voice service access controller, the identified network representing

Abstract: A computer implemented method for access control for a consumer accessing a restricted resource in a network connected computer system, the method including receiving a continuous sequence of data records relating to use, by the consumer, of the restricted resource, the resource being accessed by the consumer over an access network; continuously comparing the data records with an access control policy for the restricted resource; in response to a determination that the behavior is non-compliant with respect to the policy, generating and communicating a shared secret to the consumer, the shared secret being communicated via a communications channel other than the access network; receiving a response to a challenge from the user via the access network; and notifying the computer system that access to the resource by the consumer should be precluded based on a comparison of the response to the challenge and the shared-secret.

Abstract: In examples of the present invention, delivery of a segment of content is done using an initial congestion window, preferably chosen to give a delivery rate that ensures timely delivery of that segment. However, under high levels of packet loss, the delivery rate may not be sufficient. Hence, at any stage during delivery of a segment, the actual delivery rate is measured, and used, together with the previous congestion window size, the amount of content segment data still to be delivered, and the time left for delivery, to calculate an updated congestion window. The remainder of the segment is then delivered using this revised congestion window.

Abstract: A method of operating a network gateway in a cellular network to control access of at least one mobile device to a voice service accessible via the cellular network, the mobile device being connected to the network gateway via a wireless access router and wide area network, WAN, the method including receiving a request from the mobile device to access the voice service; measuring performance metrics for a non-cellular wireless network link to the mobile device; requesting observed network information from the mobile device; and comparing the quality of the non-cellular wireless network link to the mobile device against the respective quality of at least one observed network; if the quality of the non-cellular wireless network link is greater than the quality of an available observed network, allowing the request to proceed to the cellular network; and if the quality of at least one of the observed networks is higher than the current non-cellular wireless network link, rejecting the voice service request of th

Abstract: This disclosure provides a network node, and a method of operating the network node, having one or more communications interfaces connectable to a first communications network and to a second communications network, the method including the network node accessing a service using the first communications network; analyzing data relating to the first communications network to identify a plurality of fault-indicative events; determining a rate of the plurality of fault-indicative events per unit time; and the network node accessing the service using the second communications network in response to a first trigger, wherein the first trigger is based on the rate of the plurality of fault-indicative events per unit time.

Abstract: A computer implemented method to identify a computer security threat based on communication of a network connected device via a computer network including receiving a plurality of blocks of network traffic from the device, each block including a sequence of network traffic data items being identifiable by a position in the sequence of the block; identifying a subset of positions occurring in every block for which a degree of variability of values of data items in each position of the subset meets a predetermined threshold; and generating executable code for performing a plurality of processing operations based on the identified subset of positions, the executable code consuming a determinate quantity of computing resources when executed for the received network traffic.

Abstract: A computer implemented method to mitigate a security attack against a target virtual machine (VM) in a virtualized computing environment, the target VM having a target VM configuration including configuration parameters, and the security attack exhibiting a particular attack characteristic, is disclosed.