Abstract: A method and apparatus for redirecting a wireless communication unit (113) from a LTE cell to a neighboring 3G or 2G cell for the purposes of performing a procedure which is available in the 2G or 3G cell but not available in the LTE cell includes the provision of an additional LTE access point (109) within the coverage area of an LTE macrocell. The additional LTE access point (109) is arranged to capture a wireless communication unit (113) which is camped onto the LTE macrocell and redirect it to a 3G/2G cell irrespective of whether or not a better service may be provided in the 2G/3G cell. The invention has application to presence detection where collection of wireless communication units' and subscribers' IDs for such a purpose is possible in 3G and 2G cells but not in LTE cells.

Abstract: A presence service can be provided by an access point 101 serving a small cell 100 by rejecting a request for registration from a user equipment 103 after acquiring its IMSI and sending the IMSI to a presence database 105. The user equipment determines if the cell is a presence cell by comparing the cell's location area code (LAC) with LACs stored in a list and looking for a match. It the cell is a presence cell then the user equipment, rather than placing the LAC in a forbidden list, re-tries registration again but only after a pre-set time period of 5-10 minutes has elapsed. This has the advantage that a presence service can be notified of subscribers who linger in a particular area or return to that area at regular intervals.

Abstract: A presence service can be provided by an access point 101 serving a small cell 100 by rejecting a request for registration from a user equipment 103 after acquiring its IMSI and sending the IMSI to a presence database 105. The user equipment determines if the cell is a presence cell by comparing the cell's location area code (LAC) with LACs stored in a list and looking for a match. It the cell is a presence cell then the user equipment, rather than placing the LAC in a forbidden list, re-tries registration again but only after a pre-set time period of 5-10 minutes has elapsed. This has the advantage that a presence service can be notified of subscribers who linger in a particular area or return to that area at regular intervals.

Abstract: A TAI (Tracking Area Identifier) assigned to a small, ‘presence’ cell (106), which is different from that assigned to a neighbouring cell (101), forces a User Equipment (105) entering the presence cell's coverage area to attempt to register with the presence cell. The presence cell forwards the registration request (which includes the UE's temporary subscriber identity and the identity of the most recently serving Mobility Management Entity) to an additional network node (107) that appears as a Mobility Management Entity to other MMEs in the network. The network node then generates a request for the permanent subscriber identity of the UE and sends it to the most recently serving MME (103). The received permanent identity can be forwarded to a presence analytics server (108) for presence purposes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for redirecting a wireless communication unit (113) from a LTE cell to a neighbouring 3G or 2G cell for the purposes of performing a procedure which is available in the 2G or 3G cell but not available in the LTE cell includes the provision of an additional LTE access point (109) within the coverage area of an LTE macrocell. The additional LTE access point (109) is arranged to capture a wireless communication unit (113) which is camped onto the LTE macrocell and redirect it to a 3G/2G cell irrespective of whether or not a better service may be provided in the 2G/3G cell. The invention has application to presence detection where collection of wireless communication units' and subscribers' IDs for such a purpose is possible in 3G and 2G cells but not in LTE cells.

Abstract: A method and network elements for obtaining a subscriber identity of a User Equipment (105) being served by a LTE cell (104) exploits a conventional handover procedure by generating a “fake” handover request at the LTE (source) cell (104) designating a 3G cell (102) as the target. The target 3G cell is arranged to forward the subscriber identity which is included in a relocation request message received from a core network (107) to the LTE cell and to send a relocation failure message back to the core network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for facilitating identification of a cell in a cellular communication system and particularly a system which incorporates different radio access technologies. A network element such as a Radio Network Controller (RNC) includes a store containing a neighbor cell list, the neighbor cell list containing parameters relating to neighbor cells wherein parameters of cells in the neighbor cell list which have a common area of coverage and which support radio access technologies different from one another are linked together. A signal processor correlates measurement reports received by the RNC from a user equipment with the neighbor cell list to determine the identity of a cell in the cellular communication system. The invention has particular applicability to resolving the problem of Primary Scrambling Code confusion where a repeating pattern of small cells lies underneath a macrocell.

Abstract: A TAI (Tracking Area Identifier) assigned to a small, ‘presence’ cell (106), which is different from that assigned to a neighbouring cell (101), forces a User Equipment (105) entering the presence cell's coverage area to attempt to register with the presence cell. The presence cell forwards the registration request (which includes the UE's temporary subscriber identity and the identity of the most recently serving Mobility Management Entity) to an additional network node (107) that appears as a Mobility Management Entity to other MMEs in the network. The network node then generates a request for the permanent subscriber identity of the UE and sends it to the most recently serving MME (103). The received permanent identity can be forwarded to a presence analytics server (108) for presence purposes.

Abstract: A method and network elements for obtaining a subscriber identity of a User Equipment (105) being served by a LTE cell (104) exploits a conventional handover procedure by generating a “fake” handover request at the LTE (source) cell (104) designating a 3G cell (102) as the target. The target 3G cell is arranged to forward the subscriber identity which is included in a relocation request message received from a core network (107) to the LTE cell and to send a relocation failure message back to the core network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for facilitating identification of a cell in a cellular communication system and particularly a system which incorporates different radio access technologies. A network element such as a Radio Network Controller (RNC) includes a store containing a neighbor cell list, the neighbor cell list containing parameters relating to neighbor cells wherein parameters of cells in the neighbor cell list which have a common area of coverage and which support radio access technologies different from one another are linked together. A signal processor correlates measurement reports received by the RNC from a user equipment with the neighbor cell list to determine the identity of a cell in the cellular communication system. The invention has particular applicability to resolving the problem of Primary Scrambling Code confusion where a repeating pattern of small cells lies underneath a macrocell.