CELLULAR COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND A BASE STATION AND METHOD THEREFOR

1 . A base station for a cellular communication system, the base station being arranged to support user equipments associated with a plurality of operators and comprising:

a first unit for determining a first operator of the plurality of operators serving a first user equipment;

a second unit for generating a first message comprising an indication of the first user equipment and an indication of the first operator; and

a transmitter for transmitting the first message to a management entity of a fixed network of the cellular communication system.

2 . The base station of claim 1 arranged to transmit the first message in response to a detection of a change of a serving operator for the first user equipment.

3 . The base station of claim 2 wherein the second unit is arranged to determine the first operator as an operator serving the first user equipment following the change of the serving operator.

4 . The base station of claim 1 wherein the first message is a location update message capable of reporting serving cell changes due to handover.

5 . The base station of claim 1 wherein the first message is a LOCATION REPORT message of a Long Term Evolution cellular communication system.

6 . The base station of claim 1 wherein the second unit is arranged to determine a duration in which the first user equipment has been served by the first operator and to include an indication of the duration in the first message.

7 . The base station of claim 6 wherein the second unit is arranged to set the indication to be indicative of a maximum value if the duration exceeds the maximum value.

8 . The base station of claim 1 further comprising:

a receiver for receiving a reporting control message from the management entity, the reporting control message comprising a serving operator reporting indication; and

a reporting control unit for modifying a serving operator reporting characteristic for the base station in response to the serving operator reporting indication.

9 . The base station of claim 8 wherein the reporting control unit is arranged to switch the base station to a non-reporting mode of operation in response to the serving operator reporting indication being indicative of a requirement for operator changes not to be reported, the non-reporting mode comprising the base station not transmitting an indication of a new serving operator for the first user equipment when a change of serving operator occurs for the first user equipment.

10 . The base station of claim 8 wherein the reporting control unit is arranged to switch the base station to a reporting mode of operation in response to the serving operator reporting indication being indicative of a requirement for operator changes to be reported, the reporting mode comprising the base station transmitting an indication of a new serving operator for the first user equipment in response to a detection of a change of serving operator for the first user equipment.

11 . The base station of claim 8 wherein the reporting control message is a LOCATION REPORTING CONTROL message of a Long Term Evolution cellular communication system.

12 . The base station of claim 11 wherein the operator reporting indication is comprised in a Request Type Information Element of the LOCATION REPORTING CONTROL message.

13 . The base station of claim 1 wherein the first user equipment has a tracking area list comprising tracking area identifications for at least two of the plurality of operators.

14 . The base station of claim 1 further comprising a handover unit for supporting a handover of the first user equipment to a target base station, the handover unit being arranged to transmit a second message to the target base station, the second message comprising an indication of the first operator.

16 . The base station of claim 1 further comprising a handover unit for supporting a handover of the first user equipment from a source base station, the handover unit being arranged to receive a second message from the source base station, the second message comprising an indication of a serving operator for the first user equipment when served by the source base station; and wherein the transmitter is arranged to transmit a third message comprising an indication of the serving operator to the management entity.

17 . The base station of claim 1 wherein the management entity is a Mobile Management Entity, MME.

18 . The base station of claim 1 wherein the generating unit is arranged to include resource usage data for the first user equipment in the first message.

19 . A cellular communication system comprising a base station arranged to support user equipments associated with a plurality of operators, the base station comprising:

a first unit for determining a first operator of the plurality of operators serving a first user equipment;

a second unit for generating a first message comprising an indication of the first user equipment and an indication of the first operator; and

a transmitter for transmitting the first message to a management entity of a fixed network of the cellular communication system.

20 . A method of operation for a cellular communication system comprising a base station arranged to support user equipments associated with a plurality of operators, the method comprising the base station performing the steps of:

determining a first operator of the plurality of operators serving a first user equipment;

generating a first message comprising an indication of the first user equipment and an indication of the first operator; and

transmitting the first message to a management entity of a fixed network of the cellular communication system.