Improving multimedia broadcast service efficiency

1. A method of maintaining service continuity in a multimedia broadcast service provided by a cellular network in a multimedia broadcast service area, the method comprising:

transmitting, by a base station, in at least one cell provided by the base station, control information comprising an information element, wherein the information element comprises an identifier of the multimedia broadcast service area and an indication configured to cause causes at least one terminal device located in the at least one cell to request the multimedia broadcast service content as a transmission addressed to the at least one terminal device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the base station, from the at least one terminal device located in the at least one cell a message, wherein the message comprises a request to start providing the multimedia broadcast service content as the transmission addressed to the at least one terminal device; and

transmitting, by the base station, as response to the received message the multimedia broadcast service content to the at least one terminal device as the transmission addressed to the at least one terminal device.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

broadcasting, by the base station, in the at least one cell provided by the base station a multimedia broadcast transmission comprising the multimedia broadcast service content.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

continuing broadcasting the multimedia broadcast transmission, while also performing the transmission addressed to the at least one terminal device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication configured to cause the at least one terminal device comprised in the at least one cell to request the multimedia broadcast service content as a transmission addressed to the at least one terminal device comprises an indication that the at least one cell is an edge cell of the multimedia broadcast service area.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information element comprises a system information block carrying information required to acquire multimedia broadcast service control information associated with one or more multimedia broadcast service areas.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication configured to cause the at least one terminal device comprised in the at least one cell to request the multimedia broadcast service content as a transmission addressed to the at least one terminal device is carried out by setting, in the information element, a multimedia broadcast service control channel allocation to indicate null allocation.

8. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one non-transitory memory including a computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

transmit, by the apparatus, in at least one cell provided by the apparatus, control information comprising an information element, wherein the information element comprises an identifier of a multimedia broadcast service area and an indication configured to cause at least one terminal device located in the at least one cell to request a multimedia broadcast service content as a transmission addressed to the at least one terminal device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the at least one non-transitory memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

receive, by the apparatus, from the at least one terminal device located in the at least one cell a message, wherein the message comprises a request to start providing the multimedia broadcast service content as the transmission addressed to the at least one terminal device; and

transmit, by the apparatus, as response to the received message the multimedia broadcast service content to the at least one terminal device as the transmission addressed to the at least one terminal device.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the at least one non-transitory memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

broadcast, by the apparatus, in the at least one cell provided by the apparatus a multimedia broadcast transmission comprising the multimedia broadcast service content.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the at least one non-transitory memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

continue broadcasting the multimedia broadcast transmission, while also performing the transmission addressed to the at least one terminal device.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the indication configured to cause the at least one terminal device comprised in the at least one cell to request the multimedia broadcast service content as a transmission addressed to the at least one terminal device comprises an indication that the at least one cell is an edge cell of the multimedia broadcast service area.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the information element comprises a system information block carrying information required to acquire multimedia broadcast service control information associated with one or more multimedia broadcast service areas.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the indication configured to cause the at least one terminal device comprised in the at least one cell to request the multimedia broadcast service content as a transmission addressed to the at least one terminal device is carried out by setting, in the information element, a multimedia broadcast service control channel allocation to indicate null allocation.

15. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one non-transitory memory including a computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

receive, by the apparatus in the cellular network, control information comprising an information element, wherein the information element comprises an identifier of a multimedia broadcast service area and an indication configured to cause the apparatus to request a multimedia broadcast service content as a transmission addressed to the apparatus.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the at least one non-transitory memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

send, by the apparatus in the cellular network in a response to the said indication, a message to at least one base station, wherein the message comprises a request to start providing the multimedia broadcast service content as a transmission addressed to the apparatus; and

receive, by the apparatus in the cellular network as a response to the sent message, the multimedia broadcast service content as the transmission addressed to the apparatus.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the at least one non-transitory memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

receive, by the apparatus in the cellular network, a multimedia broadcast transmission comprising the multimedia broadcast service content.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the at least one non-transitory memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

continue receiving the multimedia broadcast transmission, before receiving the transmission addressed to at least one terminal device.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the indication configured to cause the apparatus to request the multimedia broadcast service content as a transmission addressed to the apparatus comprises an indication that a cell, provided by a base station, in which the apparatus is comprised in is an edge cell of the multimedia broadcast service area.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the information element is a system information block carrying information required to acquire multimedia broadcast service control information associated with one or more multimedia broadcast service areas.