Method for performing services in a telecommunication network, and telecommunication network and network nodes for this

1 . A method for performing a service or application in a network environment with network elements, which network environment contains a telecommunication network that has at least two network nodes for performing services or applications, all these nodes being equipped with a common layer for service support, wherein, if a particular network node is not equipped such that it can perform a particular service or application, this network node checks with the help of the service support layer whether another network node can perform this service or application and, if the other network node can perform this service or application, the first network node passes the task of performing this service or application to the other network node, which then performs this service or application, or if a particular network node is not equipped such that it can perform a particular service or application, but has means of installing programs, this network node checks whether it can download the program to execute this service or application from another network element within the network environment, and if possible downloads this program and performs this service or application.

2 . Telecommunication network with network nodes for performing services or applications, wherein each of these network nodes has means for checking whether another network node can perform a particular service or application, which the network node itself cannot perform, and for passing on the task of performing this service or application to that other network node which can perform this service or application, if the first network node cannot perform this service or application.

3 . Telecommunication network according to claim 2 , wherein one or more of these network nodes have means of checking whether they can download from another network element within a network environment, which contains the telecommunication network, a program to execute a service or application which they cannot themselves perform, in order to download this program and to perform this service or application.

4 . Network node of a telecommunication network for performing services or applications, wherein this network node has means of checking whether another network node can perform a particular service or application, which the network node itself cannot perform, and for passing on the task of performing this service or application to that other network node which can perform this service or application, if the first network node cannot perform this service or application.

5 . Network node of a telecommunication network for performing services or applications, wherein this network node has means of taking over a task to perform a service or application from another network node.

6 . Network node according to claim 4 , wherein this network node has means of checking whether it can download from another network element within a network environment, which contains the telecommunication network, a program to execute a service or application which this network node itself cannot perform, in order to download this program and to perform this service or application.