Abstract: A communication signal multiplexing apparatus includes first and second optical receivers, with the second optical receiver configured to receive an optical analog radio signal and to convert it into a corresponding electrical analog radio signal having a carrier frequency and the first optical receiver configured to receive an optical digital communication signal and to convert it into a corresponding electrical digital communication signal having a frequency spectrum. Further, a first electrical filter apparatus is configured to receive the electrical digital communication signal, and comprises a low-pass filter having a cut-off frequency lower than the carrier frequency of the electrical analog radio signal, and applies the low-pass filter to the electrical digital communication signal.

Abstract: A method in a first level aggregation node of a transport network is disclosed. The transport network comprises the first level aggregation node, a second level aggregation node and a Passive Optical Network. T the method comprises receiving, from the second level aggregation node, a plurality of wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) channels having wavelengths in a first spectrum section and generating at least one passive optical channel having a wavelength in a second spectrum section, different to the first spectrum section. The method further comprises combining at least some of the WDM channels received from the second level aggregation node with the at least one passive optical channel, and forwarding the combined WDM channels and passive optical channel to a termination node in the Passive Optical Network. Also disclosed are a method in a termination node of a transport network, a first level aggregation node, a termination node and a computer program.

Abstract: An intermediate node (203) for a transport network (200) is configured such that traffic flows between at least one remote access node (201) and a central hub node (202) pass via the intermediate node (203). The intermediate node (203) is configured to selectively process a traffic flow depending on a responsiveness requirement of the traffic flow.

Abstract: An access network for communication with a wireless device (100), the access network comprising a plurality of antennas each configured to provide a cell for radio frequency communication with the wireless device, and a plurality of sets of optical elements (40) configured for optical communication with the wireless device (100). The access network comprises a processor and a memory, said memory containing instructions executable by said processor whereby said apparatus is operative to connect to the wireless device with both the radio frequency communication and optical communication, and connect to the wireless device with the radio frequency communication at least in a downlink direction, and connect to the wireless device with the optical communication at least in an uplink direction.

Abstract: A method of abstracting network resources in a mobile communications network includes: determining a service coverage area for a class of service, the class of service defined by service parameters; determining a set of tracking areas that fall at least partly within the service coverage area; selecting available network resources for tracking areas of the set of tracking areas, for providing the class of service in the tracking areas; defining an abstraction view of the selected network resources for the class of service in the service coverage area, the abstraction view having deliverable values of the service parameters within the set of tracking areas; and outputting a communication signal having an indication of the abstraction view.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for processing communications. In one aspect, a method comprises receiving first data from a first device and receiving second data from a second device, wherein the first data has a longer latency constraint than the second data. The method also comprises sending the first data over a network link to a processing node for processing the first data.

Abstract: A method of allocating transport resources to beams in a network area, wherein the beams comprise beam formed radio channels (505, 507, 513, 515) between antenna points (509, 511, 517) and wireless devices (501, 503) in the network area. The method comprises receiving candidate beam information relating to a plurality of candidate beams for use in future communications between antenna points and wireless devices (201); and allocating transport resources to one or more antenna points in the network area based on the candidate beam information (203).

Abstract: Communication signal multiplexing apparatus (100) comprising: a first optical receiver (102) configured to receive an optical analog radio signal and to convert it into a corresponding electrical analog radio signal having a carrier frequency; a second optical receiver (104) configured to receive an optical digital communication signal and to convert it into a corresponding electrical digital communication signal having a frequency spectrum; first electrical filter apparatus (106) configured to receive the electrical digital communication signal, comprising a low-pass filter having a cut-off frequency lower than the carrier frequency of the electrical analog radio signal, and configured to apply the low-pass filter to the electrical digital communication signal; signal combining apparatus (108) configured to combine the low-pass filtered electrical digital communication signal with the electrical analog radio signal to form a combined electrical signal; and an optical transmitter (110) configured to generate

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for processing communications. In one aspect, a method comprises receiving first data from a first device and receiving second data from a second device, wherein the first data has a longer latency constraint than the second data. The method also comprises sending the first data over a network link to a processing node for processing the first data.

Abstract: A method (100) of controlling traffic flows in a radio communications network, the method comprising steps of: receiving (102) at a remote node a plurality of traffic flows transmitted from a plurality of radio units; buffering (104) the traffic flows in a common buffer of the remote node; and causing (106) a control signal to be sent to a baseband unit when a fill level of the common buffer is predicted to go above a maximum fill level within a pre-set time interval, wherein the control signal is configured to cause an adjustment of a radio resource allocation of one of the plurality of radio units to cause a reduction in a data rate of the traffic flow transmitted from said radio unit.

Abstract: A network (100) for a data center is disclosed. The network comprises computing resources (120), storage resources (110), and a switching apparatus (130). The switching apparatus (130) comprises a plurality of electrical switching components (140) configured to provide packet switching for traffic between computing resources or between computing and storage resources, and an optical switching fabric (150) configured to select an electrical switching component to provide packet switching between computing resources (120) and to provide connectivity between the plurality of electrical switching components (140) and the computing and storage resources (120, 110). Also disclosed is a method (400) for configuring a Virtual Performance Optimised Data Center (vPOD) in a network.

Abstract: A method of allocating transport resources to beams in a network area, wherein the beams comprise beam formed radio channels (505, 507, 513, 515) between antenna points (509, 511, 517) and wireless devices (501, 503) in the network area. The method comprises receiving candidate beam information relating to a plurality of candidate beams for use in future communications between antenna points and wireless devices (201); and allocating transport resources to one or more antenna points in the network area based on the candidate beam information (203).

Abstract: A wavelength selective optical switching arrangement (23) comprises a set of input ports (61), a set of output ports (65); a switching matrix; and a plurality of de-multiplexers each comprising an aggregate port (62) and a plurality of tributary ports (64), each aggregate port being connected to an input port and each tributary port being connected to the switching matrix (57), the switching matrix being coupled between the tributary ports and the output ports. The wavelength selective optical switching arrangement is configured to receive at an input port a group of optical signals, each optical signal being transmitted on a different wavelength and being assigned to one of a plurality of destination nodes.

Abstract: A radio over fibre system (5) comprises a base station (10, 20) with a first base station node (10) and a second base station node (20) connected by an optical communication link (30). At least one of the base station nodes (10, 20) comprises an optical transmitter (17, 23). A method of determining an operating parameter for the optical transmitter (17, 23) comprises receiving signal quality parameters for a plurality of user equipments (UE) served by the base station (10, 20). The method determines an operating parameter of the optical transmitter using the determined signal quality parameters of the plurality of user equipments (UE). The operating parameter of the optical transmitter can be a modulation parameter.

Abstract: A method (100) of controlling traffic flows in a radio communications network, the method comprising steps of: receiving (102) at a remote node a plurality of traffic flows transmitted from a plurality of radio units; buffering (104) the traffic flows in a common buffer of the remote node; and causing (106) a control signal to be sent to a baseband unit when a fill level of the common buffer is predicted to go above a maximum fill level within a pre-set time interval, wherein the control signal is configured to cause an adjustment of a radio resource allocation of one of the plurality of radio units to cause a reduction in a data rate of the traffic flow transmitted from said radio unit.

Abstract: A method in a first level aggregation node of a transport network is disclosed. The transport network comprises the first level aggregation node, a second level aggregation node and a Passive Optical Network. T the method comprises receiving, from the second level aggregation node, a plurality of wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) channels having wavelengths in a first spectrum section and generating at least one passive optical channel having a wavelength in a second spectrum section, different to the first spectrum section. The method further comprises combining at least some of the WDM channels received from the second level aggregation node with the at least one passive optical channel, and forwarding the combined WDM channels and passive optical channel to a termination node in the Passive Optical Network. Also disclosed are a method in a termination node of a transport network, a first level aggregation node, a termination node and a computer program.

Abstract: A method of operation of a communications network comprises receiving a plurality of dynamic radio traffic requests from wireless communications nodes. The traffic requests comprise requests for backhaul traffic received from radio base stations, and requests for fronthaul traffic to digital units received from remote radio units. The radio traffic requests are translated into corresponding transport layer requirements. Transport network resources are requested for the radio traffic based on the transport layer requirements, which meet the radio traffic requests.

Abstract: A hybrid multiplexing apparatus is provided for multiplexing a digital communication signal from an electrical domain with one or more analog subcarrier communication signals from the electrical domain into a multiplexed optical signal for transmission over a common optical communication link. The apparatus comprises a laser module configured to modulate a laser source with the one or more analog subcarrier communication signals to be multiplexed, and output an intermediate optical modulated signal. An electro-optical modulator is coupled to receive the intermediate optical modulated signal and the digital communication signal to be multiplexed, and configured to modulate the intermediate optical modulated signal with the digital communication signal to form the multiplexed optical signal.

Abstract: A network (100) for a data center is disclosed. The network comprises computing resources (120), storage resources (110), and a switching apparatus (130). The switching apparatus (130) comprises a plurality of electrical switching components (140) configured to provide packet switching for traffic between computing resources or between computing and storage resources, and an optical switching fabric (150) configured to select an electrical switching component to provide packet switching between computing resources (120) and to provide connectivity between the plurality of electrical switching components (140) and the computing and storage resources (120, 110). Also disclosed is a method (400) for configuring a Virtual Performance Optimised Data Center (vPOD) in a network.

Abstract: A virtualization system (1) comprising a baseband processing arrangement (11,12). The virtualization system is configured to provide a plurality of virtual machines (41,42), each virtual machine having an allocation of baseband processing capacity provided by the baseband processing arrangement for serving remote radio units (6). The virtualization system is configured to dynamically re-allocate baseband processing capacity between virtual machines (41,42) based on at least one parameter related to radio domain requirements of the remote radio units (6).