Utilising evolved HSPA technology with UMTS architecture to enable non-eHSPA user terminals access to network services

摘要

A telecommunications network includes an evolved High Speed Packet Access (eHSPA) Node B 13 having a Node Controller, e.g. Controlling RNC (CRNC) 12, and a Serving Radio Network Controller (SRNC) 11 configured to communicate with a packet switched component 14 of a core network, but not with a circuit switched component 17. The telecommunications network further includes a UTRAN RNC 15 configured to communicate with the CRNC 12 and also to communicate with both the packet switched 14 and circuit switched 17 components of the core network. Communication is established between a given user terminal and the core network via the UTRAN RNC 15, when a given user terminal has at least a control plane connection with the eHSPA Node B 13, by tunnelling one or more communication set up messages over the control plane between the CRNC 12 and the core network via the UTRAN RNC 15, such that the UTRAN RNC 15 relays the messages, triggering or effecting SRNS Relocation over the Iub interface, tunnelling RRC messages over the Tub interface, and tunnelling the Initial Direct Transfer RRC message across the Iu-PS interfaces within SRNS Relocation messages.