Abstract: A method for controlling uplink transmit power for a plurality of basestations in a mobile communications network is disclosed. The basestations may form a second layer within the network, and the network may comprise another plurality of basestations forming a first layer. The method comprises clustering the plurality of second layer basestations according to association with first layer basestations, exchanging second layer basestation loading information between second layer basestations belonging to the same cluster, and dynamically setting uplink transmit power limits for individual second layer basestations based on the exchanged loading information. The method may further comprise updating the clustering of the second layer basestations according to dynamic variation in association of second layer basestations with first layer basestations.

Abstract: A method for controlling uplink transmit power for a plurality of basestations in a mobile communications network is disclosed. The basestations may form a second layer within the network, and the network may comprise another plurality of basestations forming a first layer. The method comprises clustering the plurality of second layer basestations according to association with first layer basestations, exchanging second layer basestation loading information between second layer basestations belonging to the same cluster, and dynamically setting uplink transmit power limits for individual second layer basestations based on the exchanged loading information. The method may further comprise updating the clustering of the second layer basestations according to dynamic variation in association of second layer basestations with first layer basestations.

Abstract: In a basestation of a cellular communications network, steps are taken to identify at least one situation, in which a user equipment device is liable to experience a rapid deterioration in a quality of a link with the base station. Measurement information is collected, related to the radio conditions experienced by a user equipment device in said situation, and at least one handover parameter is automatically adjusted in the basestation based on the collected information.

Abstract: A cellular communications network 10 comprises a plurality of basestations 12, 14, 16 and 18 connected to each other through an interface and to a core network through another interface. Each basestation has a coverage area referred to as a cell k. There are provided methods for estimating the load imparted on a cell in the cellular communications network by user equipments in the cell. The methods make it possible to estimate any potential increase in the load that may impact onto a target cell due to the handover of a UE from a serving cell.

Abstract: A wireless access point may be in the form of a femtocell basestation in a cellular network. In order to establish a connection into the cellular network, an identity token is required for authorization. A remote service, accessible over a Wide Area Network such as the internet, can register with the access point. When a connected user attempts to connect to the remote service, information derived from the identity token is inserted into the data traffic. Where the identity token identifies the access point, the remote service can return location-specific information. Where the identity token identifies the connected user, the remote service can return subscriber-specific information. The access point can insert information derived directly from the identity token, or it can use the identity token to access a service identity registry, and can then insert the service identity into the data traffic.

Abstract: In one example embodiment, a method for classifying a basestation in a cellular communications network is provided that may include obtaining an identifier used by the basestation, comparing the identifier to a pool of identifiers reserved for a class of basestations, obtaining a frequency on which the basestation is operating, comparing the frequency to a pool of frequencies used by the class of basestations, and identifying the basestation as belonging to the class of basestations if the identifier is in the pool of identifiers and the frequency is in the pool of frequencies. Another method for classifying a basestation may comprise receiving a broadcast from the basestation including an attribute of the basestation, comparing the attribute with an attribute value range corresponding to the class of basestations, and identifying the basestation as belonging to the class of basestations if the received cell attribute falls within the attribute value range.

Abstract: A method for controlling uplink transmit power for a plurality of basestations in a mobile communications network is disclosed. The basestations may form a second layer within the network, and the network may comprise another plurality of basestations forming a first layer. The method comprises clustering the plurality of second layer basestations according to association with first layer basestations, exchanging second layer basestation loading information between second layer basestations belonging to the same cluster, and dynamically setting uplink transmit power limits for individual second layer basestations based on the exchanged loading information. The method may further comprise updating the clustering of the second layer basestations according to dynamic variation in association of second layer basestations with first layer basestations.

Abstract: A method of controlling the respective transmit powers allocated by a base station of a cellular communications network to each of a plurality of sub-bands is provided. Information from at least one other base station of the network is received, the information comprising information about a sensitivity of a utility function in a cell served by the other base station to changes in powers allocated to respective sub-bands by the base station. A sub-band is identified in which it would be relatively advantageous to increase a transmit power. It is determined whether a factor relating to a happiness of users in the cell exceeds a threshold value. The transmit power in the identified sub-band is increased only if the happiness factor is less than the threshold value.

Abstract: One example method of operation of a basestation in a mobile communications network is disclosed. The basestation may operate on a carrier channel and may be a member of a group of such basestations within the network. The method comprises establishing the presence of an adjacent basestation outside the group, which basestation operates on a carrier channel at least partially overlapping the carrier channel of the basestation and determining a degree of association between the basestation and the adjacent basestation with reference to other group members. The method further comprises setting at least one of a maximum downlink power for transmissions from the basestation and a maximum uplink power for transmissions from user equipment devices attached to the basestation, based on the degree of association between the basestation and the adjacent basestation. Also disclosed is a basestation operating in accordance with such a method.

Abstract: In one example embodiment, a method for selecting a physical layer identifier for use in a basestation is disclosed. The basestation may be comprised within a mobile communications network, which may also comprise a plurality of other basestations. The method comprises receiving a pool of identifiers available for use by basestations within the network and assigning a temporary identifier for the basestation. The method further comprises receiving from connected UEs reports of identifiers from among the received pool that are in use by basestations detected by the connected UEs and assigning a final identifier selected from the received pool of identifiers, the final identifier being different from the temporary identifier.

Abstract: In one example embodiment, a method for selecting a physical layer identifier for use in a basestation is disclosed. The basestation may be comprised within a mobile communications network, which may also comprise a plurality of other basestations. The method comprises receiving a pool of identifiers available for use by basestations within the network and assigning a temporary identifier for the basestation. The method further comprises receiving from connected UEs reports of identifiers from among the received pool that are in use by basestations detected by the connected UEs and assigning a final identifier selected from the received pool of identifiers, the final identifier being different from the temporary identifier.

Abstract: One example method of operation of a basestation in a mobile communications network is disclosed. The basestation may operate on a carrier channel and may be a member of a group of such basestations within the network. The method comprises establishing the presence of an adjacent basestation outside the group, which basestation operates on a carrier channel at least partially overlapping the carrier channel of the basestation and determining a degree of association between the basestation and the adjacent basestation with reference to other group members. The method further comprises setting at least one of a maximum downlink power for transmissions from the basestation and a maximum uplink power for transmissions from user equipment devices attached to the basestation, based on the degree of association between the basestation and the adjacent basestation. Also disclosed is a basestation operating in accordance with such a method.

Abstract: A cellular basestation can select its own mobility parameters in order to achieve desirable effects in terms of the overall network performance. When a cellular basestation forms part of a group of such basestations on a single local area network, it can receive information from the other basestations in the group, for example relating to the loading on the other basestations, and can use this information in order to set mobility parameters. Where the basestation receives loading information from other basestations in the group, it can set mobility parameters so that a user equipment device becomes less likely to select a more highly loaded cell, and more likely to select a less highly loaded cell.

Abstract: A cellular communications network 10 comprises a plurality of basestations 12, 14, 16 and 18 connected to each other through an interface and to a core network through another interface. Each basestation has a coverage area referred to as a cell k. There are provided methods for estimating the load imparted on a cell in the cellular communications network by user equipments in the cell. The methods make it possible to estimate any potential increase in the load that may impact onto a target cell due to the handover of a UE from a serving cell.

Abstract: A cellular communications network 10 comprises a plurality of basestations 12, 14, 16 and 18 connected to each other through an interface and to a core network through another interface. Each basestation has a coverage area referred to as a cell k. There are provided methods for estimating the load imparted on a cell in the cellular communications network by user equipments in the cell. The methods make it possible to estimate any potential increase in the load that may impact onto a target cell due to the handover of a UE from a serving cell.

Abstract: A cellular communications network 10 comprises a plurality of basestations 12, 14, 16 and 18 connected to each other through an interface and to a core network through another interface. Each basestation has a coverage area referred to as a cell k. There are provided methods for estimating the load imparted on a cell in the cellular communications network by user equipments in the cell. The methods make it possible to estimate any potential increase in the load that may impact onto a target cell due to the handover of a UE from a serving cell.

Abstract: One example method of operation of a basestation in a mobile communications network is disclosed. The basestation may operate on a carrier channel and may be a member of a group of such basestations within the network. The method comprises establishing the presence of an adjacent basestation outside the group, which basestation operates on a carrier channel at least partially overlapping the carrier channel of the basestation and determining a degree of association between the basestation and the adjacent basestation with reference to other group members. The method further comprises setting at least one of a maximum downlink power for transmissions from the basestation and a maximum uplink power for transmissions from user equipment devices attached to the basestation, based on the degree of association between the basestation and the adjacent basestation. Also disclosed is a basestation operating in accordance with such a method.

Abstract: A femtocell base station in a telecommunications network identifies, for each user device served by the base station, which other base stations in the network that user device is authorized to access. The base station also determines a group identity for each of a plurality of possible neighbor cell base stations in the network. Based on this information, the base station identifies at least one possible handover target cell base station for each user device served by the base station, based on the identified other base stations in the network that user device is authorized to access; and based on the identified group identity for each of a plurality of possible neighbor cell base stations in the network.

Abstract: There is provided a method for controlling a power allocation in a base station of a cell in a cellular communications network across a plurality of sub-bands. It is determined whether a long-term performance achieved by the cell exceeds a first threshold value and a total transmit power is allocated across the sub-bands according to whether the long-term performance achieved by the cell exceeds the first threshold value. A basestation configured to operate in accordance with the method is also provided.

Abstract: A method of controlling interference in a cellular communications network comprises, in a first base station of the network: determining that the first base station is suffering from uncontrolled interference from at least one other base station of the network; based on information received from at least one other base station of the network regarding estimates of interference caused at the first base station by at least one user equipment device connected to the respective other base station, selecting a proposed action to mitigate said interference; and notifying the respective other base station of the selection of the proposed action.