Abstract: A method of recovery from multiple faults in a communications network comprising: a. receiving an alarm signal from each of a plurality of faults in the communications network, each alarm signal comprising a respective alarm descriptor; b. for each alarm signal: i. analyzing the respective alarm descriptor to identify a possible root cause of the alarm signal; ii. providing a root cause metric for the identified possible root cause, the metric being indicative of a difficulty of repairing the respective fault; iii. determining a service impact caused to the communications network by the respective fault; iv. providing a service impact metric indicative of the service impact; v. combining the root cause metric and the service impact metric to generate an alarm metric; c. ranking the alarm signals in dependence on their respective alarm metrics; and d. causing the fault having the highest ranked alarm metric to be repaired first.

Abstract: Adjusting transmitter configuration for a base station transmitter of a cell of a wireless network, involves receiving indications of received power measured at user equipments (UE) of customers over a first period of time of service operation of the cell, determining a generic change in the received power over a second period of time at chosen ones of the user equipments in an area, chosen to represent reference points within the area, and chosen based on variability in the received power. Then an adjustment is made to the transmitter configuration based on the determined generic change in the received power. Selecting which UEs to use can enable detection of finer gradations in the generic changes in the received power to be distinguished from the larger changes in individual indications of the received power. This can lead to better control of the transmitter configuration under changing conditions.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting cooperation or conflict between actors in a network made up of self-organizing sub-networks examines parameters such as performance indicators and configuration parameters to determine whether or not different actors are adjusting configuration parameters in a way that is cooperative or conflicting. When a performance indicator is observed to be outside of its expected range, an acceptable convergence range can be defined to give the actors time to adjust and return the performance indicator to its expected range of values. When a performance indicator is detected to be non-convergent, the monitor can alert an operator, or another node, so that appropriate actions can be taken.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided to reduce the amount of performance indicator (PI) data to retrieve from a network node (28). The performance indicator (PI) data to be retrieved may depend on the reporting mode of the node, as well as the configured reporting scope of the current reporting mode. The set of available reporting modes may depend of the node type. Moreover, the current reporting mode may depend on the time of day, week, etc., the amount of served subscribers, traffic volume, etc., over a time window, whether a specific fault has occurred, etc.

Abstract: Adjusting transmitter configuration for a base station transmitter of a cell of a wireless network, involves receiving indications of received power measured at user equipments (UE) of customers over a first period of time of service operation of the cell, determining a generic change in the received power over a second period of time at chosen ones of the user equipments in an area, chosen to represent reference points within the area, and chosen based on variability in the received power. Then an adjustment is made to the transmitter configuration based on the determined generic change in the received power. Selecting which UEs to use can enable detection of finer gradations in the generic changes in the received power to be distinguished from the larger changes in individual indications of the received power. This can lead to better control of the transmitter configuration under changing conditions.

Abstract: A method of recovery from multiple faults in a communications network comprising: a. receiving an alarm signal from each of a plurality of faults in the communications network, each alarm signal comprising a respective alarm descriptor; b. for each alarm signal: i. analysing the respective alarm descriptor to identify a possible root cause of the alarm signal; ii. providing a root cause metric for the identified possible root cause, the metric being indicative of a difficulty of repairing the respective fault; iii determining a service impact caused to the communications network by the respective fault; iv. providing a service impact metric indicative of the service impact; v. combining the root cause metric and the service impact metric to generate an alarm metric; c. ranking the alarm signals in dependence on their respective alarm metrics; and d. causing the fault having the highest ranked alarm metric to be repaired first.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided to reduce the amount of performance indicator (PI) data to retrieve from a network node (28). The performance indicator (PI) data to be retrieved may depend on the reporting mode of the node, as well as the configured reporting scope of the current reporting mode. The set of available reporting modes may depend of the node type. Moreover, the current reporting mode may depend on the time of day, week, etc., the amount of served subscribers, traffic volume, etc., over a time window, whether a specific fault has occurred, etc.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting cooperation or conflict between actors in a network made up of self-organizing sub-networks examines parameters such as performance indicators and configuration parameters to determine whether or not different actors are adjusting configuration parameters in a way that is cooperative or conflicting. When a performance indicator is observed to be outside of its expected range, an acceptable convergence range can be defined to give the actors time to adjust and return the performance indicator to its expected range of values. When a performance indicator is detected to be non-convergent, the monitor can alert an operator, or another node, so that appropriate actions can be taken.

Abstract: A base station has a wireless interface, a processor, and a management interface. The processor determines a delay before an attach request was successful, the processor also being arranged to determine a cumulative distribution of the delay values of different attach requests, and a compressed representation of the cumulative distribution. The management interface is used to send the compressed representation to a management system. The cumulative distribution is simpler, having no change in a sign of its gradient, and so can be approximated and represented in compressed form with much less risk of loss of relevant information.

Abstract: A base station has a wireless interface, a processor, and a management interface. The processor determines a delay before an attach request was successful, the processor also being arranged to determine a cumulative distribution of the delay values of different attach requests, and a compressed representation of the cumulative distribution. The management interface is used to send the compressed representation to a management system. The cumulative distribution is simpler, having no change in a sign of its gradient, and so can be approximated and represented in compressed form with much less risk of loss of relevant information.