Abstract: A packet data network gateway, P-GW, is located in a second network for supporting user plane data to terminal devices in a wireless communications system that additionally comprises a first network having a first packet data network gateway, P-GW operably couplable to the P-GW. The P-GW comprises a processor arranged to: check a destination address of received packets from the first P-GW to determine whether the received packets are destined for any of the terminal devices, and in response thereto: extract one or more properties of said received packets if they are destined for any of the terminal devices served with user plane data; or discard said received packets if they are not destined for the terminal device(s).

Abstract: A wireless communications system supports control plane data and comprises: a first mobility management entity, MME; at least one second mobility management entity, MME; and a terminal device; wherein both the first MME and the at least one second MME are allocated to interoperate to support control plane data for the terminal device.

Abstract: A wireless communications system supporting user plane data comprises: a first network having a first packet data network gateway (P-GW); a second network having a second P-GW operably coupled to the first network via a backhaul link; a serving gateway (S-GW) a base station; and a terminal device, wherein a single packet data network connection is created for the terminal device that traverses through the first P-GW, second P-GW, S-GW and base station.

Abstract: A packet data network gateway, P-GW, is located in a second network for supporting control plane data in a wireless communications system that additionally comprises a first network having a first packet data network gateway, P-GW, operably couplable to the P-GW and a serving gateway, S-GW. The P-GW comprises a processor arranged to determine an operational status of at least one of: a backhaul link, first P-GW. In response to the processor determining that both of the backhaul link and the first P-GW are available, the processor is arranged to perform at least one of: trigger deferred signalling between the first network and at least one of a mobility management entity, MME, the S-GW; trigger user plane handling, monitor and build terminal device context information for a plurality of terminal devices being served with user plane data by the backhaul link of the second network.

Abstract: A base station for supporting communications with a terminal device in a wireless communications system is described. The base station comprises a dynamic scheduler module; a semi-persistent scheduler, SPS, module, a receiver arranged to receive at least one data packet; and a compressor module arranged to compress the received at least one data packet prior to transmission to the terminal device. A control processor is operably coupled to the compressor module and arranged to determine a compression state of the compressor module and based thereon select one of the dynamic scheduler module and semi persistent scheduler module to allocate resource for communicating with the terminal device. A transmitter is arranged to transmit the compressed at least one data packet to the terminal device on the allocated resource.

Abstract: A terminal device for communicating in a cellular system is described. The terminal device comprises: at least one first transceiver arranged to communicate with a plurality of communication units; and at least one first signal processor, operably coupled to the at least one first transceiver and arranged to: communicate with a first communication unit in the cellular system in a first mode of operation when the terminal device is located within a coverage range of the at least one base station; and facilitate in a second mode of operation direct communications between at least one other terminal device and the first communication unit when the at least one other terminal device is located outside of the coverage range of the at least one base station.

Abstract: A relay device for supporting communications between a terminal device and a base station in a wireless communications system is described. The relay device comprises a transceiver arranged to at least receive an access request message from the terminal device; and a control processor operably coupled to the transceiver and arranged to process the access request message, extract information and determine therefrom a power delta value that is not based on a determination of pathloss between the relay device and the terminal device, generate a control element comprising the power delta value; and for relaying at least the control element to the base station. The control processor is further arranged to receive subsequently at least one physical uplink channel message from the terminal device wherein a transmit power level of the at least one physical uplink channel message is based at least on the power delta value.

Abstract: A terminal device is arranged to communicate with a base station via a relay device in a wireless communications system. The terminal device comprises: a transmitter arranged to transmit a first access request message to the base station wherein the access request message comprises one from a set of access preambles that indicate relay device uplink assistance is required; a receiver arranged to receive an access request grant response from the base station; and a control processor operably coupled to the transmitter and receiver and arranged to: process the access request grant response; extract transmit power control information therefrom for transmissions to the relay device; map a first power level indicated in the transmit power control information to a second power level associated with a transmission via the relay device; and generate and transmit a transmission to the relay device at the mapped transmit second power level.

Abstract: A terminal device is arranged to communicate with a base station via a relay device in a wireless communications system. The terminal device comprises: a transmitter arranged to transmit an access request message to the base station, wherein the access request message comprises one from a set of access preambles that indicate relay device uplink assistance is required; a receiver arranged to receive an access request grant response from the base station; and a control processor operably coupled to the transmitter and receiver and arranged to: process the access request grant response and determine from a timing advance part thereof transmit power control (TPC) information for transmitting to the base station via the relay device.

Abstract: A network element for communicating with a wireless communication unit is described. The network element comprises: a transceiver for communicating with the wireless communication unit; an interface for operably coupling to a data store; and a control processor. The control processor is operably coupled to the interface, and arranged to: intercept a communication from the wireless communication unit to a second network element, inspect the communication to determine whether the communication relates to a request for a first item of information; request the first item of information from the data store, wherein the control processor is further arranged to not forward the request for the first item of information to the second network element if it is determined that first item of information is stored in the data store; receive the first item of information from the data store; and transmit the first information to the wireless communication unit.

Abstract: A relay device is described for supporting communications between a terminal device and a base station, the relay device comprises: at least one receiver; and a control processor, operably coupled to the at least one receiver and arranged to: monitor a downlink communication from the base station to the terminal device; determine therefrom at least one uplink resource to be used by the terminal device; configure the at least one receiver to receive the at least one uplink resource; receive an uplink message on the at least one uplink resource; determine therefrom uplink control information used by the terminal device; modify the uplink message on the at least one uplink resource; and relay the uplink message to the base station.

Abstract: A relay device for supporting uplink communication between a terminal device and a base station is described. The relay device comprises at least one receiver arranged to receive a downlink message from the base station; a control processor, operably coupled to the at least one receiver and arranged to determine from the downlink message information identifying an uplink control resource to be used by the terminal device; and a transmitter, operably coupled to the control processor and arranged to relay received periodic uplink control channel messages on the identified uplink control resource from the terminal device to the base station.

Abstract: A method for increasing coverage in a wireless communication system is described. The method comprises, at the network element: transmitting a first portion of subframes comprising a number of resource blocks to a first wireless communication unit in a first mode of operation, wherein the number of resource blocks are transmitted at a first power level per resource block; and transmitting, a second portion of subframes to a second wireless communication unit in a second mode of operation at a second power level, wherein the second portion of subframes comprise a lower number of resource blocks than the first portion of subframes and the lower number of resource blocks is transmitted at a second power level per resource block that is higher than the first power level per resource block.

Abstract: A method for a low bandwidth wireless communication unit to re-synchronize to a wireless communication system employing one or more virtual carrier(s) after the wireless communication unit has lost synchronization is described. The method comprises, at the wireless communication unit: entering a sleep mode of operation following communication on a first virtual carrier; waking up from the sleep mode of operation on a default virtual carrier that is not the first virtual carrier; and acquiring synchronization information using synchronization signals that occupy subcarrier resources that overlap with the subcarrier resources occupied by the default virtual carrier to re-synchronize with the wireless communication system.

Abstract: A network element for controlling a usage of at least one resource is described. The network element comprises: a transmitter for transmitting a signal identifying at least one uplink resource to at least one wireless communication unit; a signal processor operably coupled to the transmitter for generating the signal; and a receiver for receiving a transmission from the at least one wireless communication unit on the identified at least one uplink resource. The signal processor is arranged to allocate the uplink resource for the at least one wireless communication unit in a first portion of a first sub-frame on a first frequency and a first portion of a second sub-frame on a second frequency wherein a time gap is allocated between an end of the first portion of the first sub-frame and a beginning of the first portion of a second sub-frame.