Abstract: There is provided a method, said method comprising receiving network information, using said network information to determine whether a change to a network is required, and if so, using said network information to determine at least one cause of a change to the network being required and providing, in dependence of the at least one cause, at least one option for at least one change to said network.

Abstract: There is provided a method, said method comprising receiving network information, using said network information to determine whether a change to a network is required, and if so, using said network information to determine at least one cause of a change to the network being required and providing, in dependence of the at least one cause, at least one option for at least one change to said network.

Abstract: There is provided a method, said method comprising receiving network information, using said network information to determine whether a change to a network is required, and if so, using said network information to determine at least one cause of a change to the network being required and providing, in dependence of the at least one cause, at least one option for at least one change to said network.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus including at least one processor configured to detect a failure with a first cellular network base station; and establish an out of band communication channel with the first cellular network base station via a second cellular network base station being adjacent to the first cellular network base station to enable remote maintenance of the first cellular network base via the established out of band communication channel.

Abstract: Determination of the position of devices may be useful in various communication systems. For example, wireless communication systems that support emergency services may benefit from being able to make a vertical position determination of user equipment and/or network elements within a building or in other indoor environments, such as caves. A method can be implemented by a processor of a base station. The method can include receiving from at least one user equipment, at least one report based on at least a signal strength of a wireless connection between the at least one user equipment and the base station. The method can also include determining a vertical position of the base station, from the at least one report.

Abstract: There is provided improved management of a communications network including a plurality of sub-systems for providing services to subscribers. Data is received from a plurality of source systems in a communications network, said source systems encoding data according to different data models. Rules of processing the data received data from each of the source systems are defined. At least one customer experience event of the communications network is generated on the basis of the rules.

Abstract: There is provided a method, said method comprising receiving network information, using said network information to determine whether a change to a network is required, and if so, using said network information to determine at least one cause of a change to the network being required and providing, in dependence of the at least one cause, at least one option for at least one change to said network.

Abstract: Determination of the position of devices may be useful in various communication systems. For example, wireless communication systems that support emergency services may benefit from being able to make a vertical position determination of user equipment and/or network elements within a building or in other indoor environments, such as caves. A method can be implemented by a processor of a base station. The method can include receiving from at least one user equipment, at least one report based on at least a signal strength of a wireless connection between the at least one user equipment and the base station. The method can also include determining a vertical position of the base station, from the at least one report.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus including at least one processor configured to detect a failure with a first cellular network base station; and establish an out of band communication channel with the first cellular network base station via a second cellular network base station being adjacent to the first cellular network base station to enable remote maintenance of the first cellular network base via the established out of band communication channel.

Abstract: The invention allows network assisted alternate coverage in a cellular communications network during at least partial cell outage event or a maintenance event. In response to an indication of an at least partial cell outage event or a maintenance event, a mobile communications device is switched from a cellular communications mode to a device-to-device, D2D, communications mode based on D2D configuration information received from a cellular network base station. Communications are performed as needed in the D2D communications mode by the mobile communications device. In response to receiving a message to switch back to the cellular communications mode, the mobile communications device is switched back to the cellular communications mode.

Abstract: There is provided improved management of a communications network including a plurality of sub-systems for providing services to subscribers. Data is received from a plurality of source systems in a communications network, said source systems encoding data according to different data models. Rules of processing the data received data from each of the source systems are defined. At least one customer experience event of the communications network is generated on the basis of the rules.

Abstract: A method performed by a controller in a wireless network includes arranging a plurality of nodes into at least one group of nodes; selecting, from the plurality of nodes in one group of the at least one group of nodes, a first node; performing an operation at the first node; informing a next node from the plurality of nodes that the operation has been completed; performing the operation at the next node; repeating the informing and performing at a next node until the operation has been performed at each of the plurality of nodes.

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus and methods for billing a packet switched call utilizing a prepaid account in which a prepaid packet note (PPN) monitors a subscriber's usage during the call. The PPN is logically associated with a wireless packet serving node (WPSN) that executes call processing that is associated with the call. Moreover, the present invention provides apparatus and method for enabling the subscriber to replenish the subscriber's prepaid account.

Abstract: The present invention enables a wireless communications system to support prepaid charging for a packet-switched call and a circuit-switched call that are associated with a subscriber and that are coexistent. The present invention utilizes an integrated accounting processor that fetches an amount remaining in the subscriber's prepaid account and determines a balance that the subscriber may consume. An integrated prepaid node (IPPN) that is logically associated with an integrated wireless packet services node (IWPSN) monitors the usage associated with the packet-switched call and the circuit-switched call. When the packet-switched call ends, the IPPN reports the usage consumed during the packet-switched call and the circuit-switched call to the integrated accounting processor. The integrated accounting processor adjusts the subscriber's prepaid account in accordance with the usage.