Abstract: A basestation for a cellular communication system has an interface, for connection to a computer network, and also includes an oscillator, for generating wireless transmit and receive frequencies. A controller receives timestamped response messages from a time server over the computer network, each response message being subject to a network propagation delay, which is a sum of a minimum network propagation delay and a jitter component. For each received response message an apparent network propagation delay is determined as a function of a difference between a first timestamp applied by the time server and a second timestamp based on a clock derived from said oscillator. A subset of the received response messages are selected, whose network propagation delays include minimal jitter components. The frequency accuracy of the oscillator is then determined based on changes over time in the apparent network propagation delays of the selected received response messages.

Abstract: A basestation of a telecommunications network is able to acquire timing information by sending a single time request message over a computer network to a time server, with the time request message specifying a number of time response messages, said number being greater than one. Based on the received specified number of time response messages from the time server, the basestation is able to calibrate an internal oscillator.

Abstract: A basestation for cellular wireless communications network is able to configure itself for the operation in the network, by selecting appropriate operating frequencies (in the case of a GSM network) or scrambling codes (in the case of a UMTS network), and appropriate transmit powers. This makes it practical for a large number of such basestations to be deployed in a network, within customers' premises, without requiring network intervention in each case.