Abstract: A method of operating a device, the device being configured to communicate with a wireless telecommunications network and the device being in the form of an Autonomous Vehicle (A V), the method comprising the steps of: detecting a fault associated with the AV; and in response to detecting said fault, causing the AV to transmit a mayday wireless network communication for alerting the wireless telecommunications network of the fault; in response to the mayday wireless network communication, identifying a recovery AV that is capable of retrieving at least part of the AV and delivering said at least part to an intended destination; and instructing the recovery AV to perform the retrieving and delivering by communicating an instructing message, wherein the instructing message is in the form of a system information message.

Abstract: A method of managing network traffic in a telecommunications network, the telecommunications network having a plurality of network slices and a User Equipment (UE), wherein the UE is allocated to a first network slice for processing a network communication from the UE, the method comprising the steps of: monitoring a suitability of the first network slice to process the network communication; identifying a second network slice that is suitable for processing the network communication; and in response to identifying a lack of suitability of the first network slice to process the network communication, redirecting the network communication to the second network slice whilst the UE remains registered with the first network slice.

Abstract: A method of managing allocation of a User Equipment (UE) to a network slice of a telecommunications network, the telecommunications network having a plurality of network slices, wherein the UE is allocated to a first network slice to process a network communication from the UE, the method comprising the steps of: monitoring a suitability of the first network slice to process the network communication; identifying a second network slice that is suitable for processing the network communication; and in response to identifying a lack of suitability of the first network slice to process the network communication, registering the UE with the second network slice prior to registering the UE with the first network slice.

Abstract: A method of managing processing resources in a telecommunications network, the telecommunications network having a plurality of network slices and a User Equipment (UE), wherein the UE is allocated to a first network slice to process a network communication from the UE, the method comprising the steps of: monitoring a suitability of the first network slice to process the network communication; identifying a second network slice that is suitable for processing the network communication; and in response to identifying a lack of suitability of the first network slice to process the network communication, reallocating processing resources from the second network slice to the first network slice whilst the UE remains allocated to the first network slice.

Abstract: A method of establishing bearers for a device in a wireless communication network, including collecting for the device data over a period of time from communication sessions the device participates in, the communication sessions supported by a first and second bearer for the network wherein the first bearer transports packets of the second bearer between nodes of the network; calculating from the collected data a likelihood the first bearer will be established for the device at one or more different time values, and predicting the first bearer will be established for the device at a time value if the likelihood of establishment at that time value exceeds a specified threshold; and initiating establishment of the first bearer to establish the first bearer for the predicted time value.

Abstract: A method of selecting a mobile network operator for a network communication from a wireless communication device, the wireless communication device being registered with a default mobile network operator, including receiving, from the wireless communication device, the network communication at a radio access network shared by a plurality of mobile network operators; identifying, from the plurality of mobile network operators, an improved mobile network operator having an improved network characteristic compared to the default mobile network operator; and selecting the improved mobile network operator through which to route the network communication.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a method for platooning a vehicle, and a base station and vehicle for implementing the method, the method including a vehicle receiving, from a base station in a cellular telecommunications network, a notification relating to availability of a platoon server in the cellular telecommunications network; the vehicle responding to the notification from the base station with data relating to the vehicle's platooning preferences; and the vehicle receiving data relating to a first vehicle platoon; and the vehicle becoming a member of the first vehicle platoon.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a method for platooning a vehicle in a cellular telecommunications network, and a platoon server for implementing the method, the cellular telecommunications network including a first access network, the first radio access network including a first local platoon server, the cellular telecommunications network further including a core network having a central platoon server, the method including the central platoon server storing data relating to a first vehicle platoon, the first vehicle platoon located in a first geographical region associated with the first radio access network; the central platoon server sending the data relating to the first vehicle platoon to the first local platoon server; the first local platoon server receiving a request from a vehicle to join a platoon; and, in response, the first local platoon server identifying the first vehicle platoon.

Abstract: A wireless access point is configured to regularly monitor the status of WLAN, WAN and ePDG data links to determine whether the current connections are sufficient to support VoWiFI services. When a device connects to the WLAN of the hub and attempts to switch from its VoLTE service to VoWiFi via the hub, the hub is configured to determine whether the current conditions can satisfy a VoWiFi connection. If the VoWiFi service can support the connection, the request is routed to the ePDG associated with the mobile device's subscriber LTE network. However, if the current conditions cannot satisfactorily support a VoWiFi connection such that incoming calls may be missed or the quality of active calls would not be clear, then the hub is configured to block the request so that the client device will time out and remain connected to VoLTE.

Abstract: In a method of operating a content delivery network having a plurality of content caches to deliver requested content to at least one user device, the user device has one or more access network interfaces for connection to content caches of the content delivery network via one or more respective access networks, and the method is performed by a content delivery route decision function running on the user device and interfacing with the content delivery network and the access networks.

Abstract: A method of authenticating a device subscribed to a first wireless communication network on a second wireless communication network, the method including: deriving at a node within the first wireless communication network a set of one or more network keys for the second wireless communication network from one or more network keys of the first wireless communication network that uniquely identify the device within the first wireless communication network; communicating the derived set of one or more network keys to the device; storing a first copy of the derived set of one or more network keys within an identification module at the device and a second copy of the derived set of one or more network keys within a secure area of the device; and authenticating the device on the second wireless communication network using the second copy of the derived set of one or more network keys stored in the secure area of the device.

Abstract: A method of establishing bearers for a device in a wireless communication network, including collecting for the device data over a period of time from communication sessions the device participates in, at least some of the communication sessions being supported by a default bearer and a dedicated bearer; calculating from the collected data a likelihood a dedicated bearer will be established for the device at one or more different times values, and predicting the dedicated bearer will be established for the device at a time value if the likelihood of establishment at that time value exceeds a specified threshold; and initiating establishment of the dedicated bearer to establish the dedicated bearer for the predicted time value.

Abstract: A method of establishing bearers for a device in a wireless communication network, including collecting for the device data over a period of time from communication sessions the device participates in, the communication sessions supported by a first and second bearer for the network wherein the first bearer transports packets of the second bearer between nodes of the network; calculating from the collected data a likelihood the first bearer will be established for the device at one or more different time values, and predicting the first bearer will be established for the device at a time value if the likelihood of establishment at that time value exceeds a specified threshold; and initiating establishment of the first bearer to establish the first bearer for the predicted time value.

Abstract: A method of managing data bearers between a cellular network subscriber device and a packet data gateway in a cellular network core, the cellular network subscriber device and the packet data gateway being connected by a default bearer, the method including receiving at least one dedicated bearer request for a communication session between the cellular network subscriber device and an external network resource; comparing at least one parameter of the received dedicated bearer against a set of predetermined rules; and if at least one parameter of the received dedicated bearer request matches at least one of the set of predetermined rules: storing the at least one parameter of the received dedicated bearer request; and sending a message to the subscriber device to cause the cellular network subscriber device and packet data gateway to use the default bearer for the communication session.

Abstract: In a cellular communications network, user equipment connected to a base station, the active mode handover behavior of the base station for selecting handover targets is set to be different from idle mode reselection. The MME provides its eNodeBs with supplemental information about other PLMNs which can be considered for handover in accordance with dynamic criteria such as the time, location, subscriber group, etc to allow dynamic handover to other PLMNs in accordance with the commercial agreements.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method of operating a management node in a cellular telecommunications network, the cellular telecommunications network further including a User Equipment (UE) and a first and second base station, wherein the UE is connected to the first base station by a first connection and to the second base station by a second connection, and the first and second connection relate to a first and second subscription, respectively, the method including detecting a first home network identifier of the first connection; detecting a first network operator identifier of the first base station; determining that a first home network identifier of the first connection is different to the first network operator identifier of the first base station; determining a preferred partner network associated with the first home network identifier; and initiating a transfer of the first connection to the preferred partner network.

Abstract: A mobile device capable of connecting to a voice service using Voice over LTE (VoLTE) via a cellular network and Voice over Wi-Fi (VoWiFi) via a wireless local area network is connected to VoWiFi and arranged to receive notifications from a wireless access point when the voice service via VoWiFi is disrupted and to disconnect from VoWiFi and connect to VoLTE to maintain the voice service. The mobile device is operable to test the connection to the cellular network and if the cellular network connection is insufficient to support VoLTE, the mobile device ignored the notification and remains connected to VoWiFi.

Abstract: A VoWiFi service monitor monitors the logical data path to the ePDG of a MNO as an indication of whether VoWiFi service is possible for subscribers of the MNO network. Due to the standard configuration of UEs in preferring WLAN connectivity over LTE cellular connectivity, if the VoWiFi service is unavailable the UEs will not automatically switch to VoLTE while a WLAN connection is available between the UE and a hub. When a change in the status of an ePDG is detected, the VoWiFi service monitor informs any connected hubs. The hubs receive notifications from the VoWiFi service monitor and for each notification determine whether the ePDG status change affects one or more of the VoWiFi capable UEs connected to the hub. If at least one such device is affected by the change, the hub notifies the affected UE with instructions to handover from VoWiFi to VoLTE.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method of operating a management node in a cellular telecommunications network, the cellular telecommunications network further including a User Equipment (UE), and a first and second base station, wherein the UE is connected to the first base station by a first connection and to the second base station by a second connection, and the first and second connection relate to a first and second subscription respectively, the method including detecting a first home network identifier of the first connection; detecting a first network operator identifier of the first base station; determining that a first home network identifier of the first connection is different to the first network operator identifier of the first base station; determining a preferred partner network associated with the first home network identifier; and initiating a transfer of the first connection to the preferred partner network.

Abstract: This disclosure invention relates to a method of operating a network node in a cellular telecommunications network, wherein the cellular telecommunications network further includes a first base station and a first User Equipment (UE), and the first UE is connected to the first base station by a first and second connection having resources associated with a first and second subscription respectively, the method including determining that the first connection and second connection relate to the first and second subscription respectively; determining that the first connection and second connection relate to the first UE; monitoring a first resource usage of one or both of the first and second connections with the first UE; and initiating a handover of one or both of the first and second connections based on the first resource usage.