Cellular wireless network and method of operation

1. A method of operating a cellular wireless network, comprising:

broadcasting information about a capability of a cellular wireless network on a broadcast channel in a cell of the cellular wireless network from an access node associated with the cell, wherein the information about the capability includes information about a combined packet switched emergency call capability of a network combination including a packet core of the cellular wireless network and the access node;

allowing a user equipment to perform emergency calls in the cell via the access node where the information broadcast about the capability indicates packet switched emergency calls are supported by the network combination; and

enabling the user equipment to determine packet switched emergency calls are supported or are not supported by the network combination based on the information broadcast from the access node and received by the user equipment without the user equipment participating in a network scheduling procedure;

wherein, after determining packet switched emergency calls are not supported by the network combination, the user equipment elects to: i) not camp on the access node, ii) camp on the access node and, if at least one of the packet core and access node does not support packet switched emergency calls, revert to circuit switched emergency calls while camped on the access node, or iii) camp on the access node and, if the packet core supports packet switched emergency calls but the access node does not support packet switched emergency calls, attempt to attach to another access node associated with the packet core that supports packet switched emergency calls.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the broadcast information includes information about at least one of local regulation and operator's policy regarding packet switched emergency calls.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the combined packet switched emergency call capability is an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) emergency call capability.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the broadcast information includes an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) emergency call capability of the access node;

wherein the access node is an eNodeB base station in accordance with Long Term Evolution (LTE) standards.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein signaling between the user equipment and a network node includes sending packet core capability information about packet switched emergency call capabilities of the packet core of the cellular wireless network to the user equipment;

wherein the packet core capability information is sent to the user equipment during handover procedures.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the broadcast information includes an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) emergency call capability of the packet core.

7. A base station for a cellular wireless network, the base station comprising:

a transmitter configured to broadcast information about a capability of a cellular wireless network on a broadcast channel in a cell of the cellular wireless network, wherein the base station is associated with the cell, wherein the information about the capability includes information about a combined packet switched emergency call capability of a network combination including a packet core of the cellular wireless network and the base station; and

at least one processor and associated memory configured to allow a user equipment to perform emergency calls in the cell where the information broadcast about the capability indicates packet switched emergency calls are supported by the network combination;

wherein the at least one processor and transmitter are configured to enable the user equipment to determine packet switched emergency calls are supported or are not supported by the network combination based on the information broadcast from the transmitter and received by the user equipment without the user equipment participating in a network scheduling procedure;

wherein, after determining packet switched emergency calls are not supported by the network combination, the user equipment elects to: i) not camp on the base station, ii) camp on the base station and, if at least one of the packet core and base station does not support packet switched emergency calls, revert to circuit switched emergency calls while camped on the base station, or iii) camp on the base station and, if the packet core supports packet switched emergency calls but the base station does not support packet switched emergency calls, attempt to attach to another base station associated with the packet core that supports packet switched emergency calls.

8. The base station of claim 7 wherein the broadcast information includes information about at least one of local regulation and operator's policy regarding packet switched emergency calls.

9. The base station of claim 7 wherein the combined packet switched emergency call capability is an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) emergency call capability.

10. The base station of claim 7 wherein the broadcast information includes an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) emergency call capability of the packet core.

11. The base station of claim 7 wherein the broadcast information includes an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) emergency call capability of the base station;

wherein the base station is an eNodeB in accordance with Long Term Evolution (LTE) standards.

12. The base station of claim 7 wherein signaling between the user equipment and a network node includes sending packet core capability information about packet switched emergency call capabilities of the packet core of the cellular wireless network to the user equipment;

wherein the packet core capability information is sent to the user equipment during handover procedures.

13. A mobile terminal for use with a cellular wireless network, the mobile terminal comprising

a receiver configured to receive information about a capability of a cellular wireless network on a broadcast channel in a cell of the cellular wireless network from a base station associated with the cell, wherein the information about the capability includes information about a combined packet switched emergency call capability of a network combination including a packet core of the cellular wireless network and the base station; and

at least one processor configured to detect the information on the broadcast channel concerning the combined packet switched emergency call capability of the network combination;

wherein the at least one processor is configured to perform emergency calls in the cell via the base station where the information broadcast about the capability indicates packet switched emergency calls are supported by the network combination;

wherein the at least one processor is configured to process the information received on the broadcast channel to determine packet switched emergency calls are supported or are not supported by the network combination based on the information broadcast from the base station and received by the receiver without the mobile terminal participating in a network scheduling procedure;

wherein, after determining packet switched emergency calls are not supported by the network combination, the at least one processor is configured to elect to: i) not camp on the base station, ii) camp on the base station and, if at least one of the packet core and base station does not support packet switched emergency calls, revert to circuit switched emergency calls while camped on the base station, or iii) camp on the base station and, if the packet core supports packet switched emergency calls but the base station does not support packet switched emergency calls, attempt to attach to another base station associated with the packet core that supports packet switched emergency calls.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 13 wherein the combined packet switched emergency call capability is an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) emergency call capability.

15. A method of operating a cellular wireless network, comprising:

receiving information about a capability of a cellular wireless network at a mobile terminal on a broadcast channel in a cell of the cellular wireless network from an access node associated with the cell, wherein the information about the capability includes information about a combined packet switched emergency call capability of a network combination including a packet core of the cellular wireless network and the access node;

detecting the information on the broadcast channel at the mobile terminal concerning the combined packet switched emergency call capability of the network combination;

performing emergency calls from the mobile terminal in the cell via the access node where the information broadcast about the capability indicates packet switched emergency calls are supported by the network combination; and

processing the information received on the broadcast channel at the mobile terminal to determine packet switched emergency calls are supported or are not supported by the network combination based on the information broadcast from the access node and received by the mobile terminal without the mobile terminal participating in a network scheduling procedure;

wherein, after determining packet switched emergency calls are not supported by the network combination, the mobile terminal elects to: i) not camp on the access node, ii) camp on the access node and, if at least one of the packet core and access node does not support packet switched emergency calls, revert to circuit switched emergency calls while camped on the access node, or iii) camp on the access node and, if the packet core supports packet switched emergency calls but the access node does not support packet switched emergency calls, attempt to attach to another access node associated with the packet core that supports packet switched emergency calls.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the combined packet switched emergency call capability is an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) emergency call capability.