Nokia Corporation

Nokia Mobile Phones Limited

Kai Heikkinen

Harri Holma

Uwe Schwarz

Achim Franz Wacker

Atte Artamo

Karl Tigerstedt

There is provided a technique for determining cell allocation in a network supporting different communication standards.

Service priorities in a multi-cell network

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling a connection transfer in a cellular network having at least two systems, such as a GSM system and a WCDMA system. Based on a load determination, a service-based inter-system or inter-frequency handover of the connection to another system or to another carrier of the same system is initiated if the determined is below a threshold and service priorities are indicating it. If it exceeds the threshold, an additional load-based inter-system or inter-frequency handover can be initiated. If the load of the target cell is not known, a load estimation based on a learning process can be used to derive a probability of success of an interfrequency or inter-system handover, which may be used for deciding on the initiation of the inter-system handover. The learning process may be performed by evaluating preceding interfrequency or inter-system handovers to the target cell or preceding interfrequency or inter-system handovers from the target cell. Thereby, users can be shared between different radio access technologies or systems or between different carriers of one system to thereby improve network capacity and quality of service for both systems and carriers. Furthermore, unnecessary inter-system handovers can be prevented in case the load of the target cell of the other system is not known.

Method and network element for controlling handover

A method and system for inter-operator handover in a telecommunications network comprising a greenfield WCDMA operator and a GSM/WCDMA operator. When a mobile terminal of the greenfield operator is moving from the coverage area of the home network to the GSM/WCDMA area, a neighbor list of GSM cells is provided to the mobile terminal for handover to a GSM cell when the home network coverage is not available. When the mobile terminal is returning home from the GSM/WCDMA area, a neighbor list of the home cells is provided to the mobile terminal so that the greenfield mobile station is connected to its home network whenever there is coverage. Preferably, the neighbor lists are provided to the mobile terminal only in the connected mode.

Method and system for inter-operator handover between WCDMA and GSM

A method of triggering an IF or IS handover between two WCDMA carrier or a WCDMA carrier and a GSM carrier. Six triggering conditions are used to initiate the search for an alternative network connection by starting the handover measurements. These triggering conditions are: a) the mobile terminal TxPwr has exceeded its threshold value longer than a specified time; b) the connection based power in the downlink has exceeded its threshold value longer than a specified time; c) the mobile terminal TxPwr has reached the maximum value a specified number of times; d) the SIR target at the base station has risen above a specified threshold value over a period of time; e) the mobile terminal TxPwr has exceeded its threshold value and the gradient of the power control signature indicates sudden rise to maximum power level; and f) the pilot power measured at the mobile terminal has fallen below a threshold value for long than a specified time.

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Helsinki, Finland

Kai Heikkinen