Optimizing bandwidth usage in a cellular communication network

• Main Authors: DE PASQUALE, ANDREA, DOMINGUEZ ROMERO, FRANCISCO, MCWILLIAMS, BRENDAN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 11.11.2015
• Subjects: ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS

Base station apparatus (1) is provided for improving bandwidth usage in a cellular communication network serving at least one mobile terminal. The network is capable of supporting at least a first radio access technology (i.e. GSM) and a second radio access technology (LTE) and uses a predefined bandwidth range. The apparatus comprises a base band unit (3) including a counting means for determining the number of mobile terminals within a cell of the first radio access technology supporting the second radio access technology and a measuring means for determining the level of traffic carried by the first radio access technology cell; and a bandwidth assignment means for dynamically assigning a first portion of the bandwidth range to the first radio access technology and a second portion of the bandwidth range to the second radio access technology on the basis of the number of supportive mobile terminals and the level of first radio access technology traffic. In this way, the bandwidth assigned to GSM and LTE can be configured to take account of changes in the traffic levels and device capabilities in either RAT.