Communication between base stations in a radio access network

1. A network node for a radio access network, the network node comprising:

a switch system configured to switch traffic for a plurality of base stations of the radio access network,

wherein the switch system is configured to provide for communication between a remote radio unit of a distributed base station of the plurality of base stations and a separate baseband processing unit of the distributed base station of the plurality of base stations, wherein the remote radio unit and the separate baseband processing unit are located in two different locations,

wherein the switch system is further configured to provide for communication between a first base station and a second base station of the plurality of base stations, and wherein at least one of the first and second base stations is a radio base station that comprises both a radio unit and baseband processing.

2. The network node of claim 1 ,

wherein the first base station is the radio base station that comprises both the radio unit and the baseband processing, and

wherein the second base station is the distributed base station, of the plurality of base stations, that comprises the remote radio unit and the separate baseband processing unit.

3. The network node of claim 1 ,

wherein the first base station is the radio base station, of the plurality of base stations, that comprises both the radio unit and the baseband processing, and

wherein the second base station is another radio base station, of the plurality of base stations that comprises both the radio unit and the baseband processing.

4. The network node of claim 1 , wherein the switch system comprises a packet switch configured to provide communication between the first base station and the second base station.

5. The network node of claim 2 ,

wherein the switch system comprises a packet switch configured to provide communication between the first base station and the second base station, and

wherein the packet switch is further configured to switch packets between the first base station that comprises both the radio unit and the baseband processing and the separate baseband processing unit of the second base station, in communication with the remote radio unit.

6. The network node of claim 1 , wherein the network node comprises the separate baseband processing unit.

7. The network node of claim 1 , wherein the switch system is further configured to provide a connection between a base station, of the plurality of base stations, and a backhaul connection.

8. The network node of claim 1 , wherein the switch system comprises a main switch configured to switch traffic to or from an optical connection connecting the network node with the plurality of base stations.

9. The network node of claim 8 , wherein the main switch is further configured to switch at a lambda and/or Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI) flow granularity.

10. The network node of claim 1 , wherein the communication between the first and second base stations is an X2 communication.

11. The network node of claim 4 , wherein the packet switch is an Ethernet switch.

12. A transport network for a radio access network, wherein the transport network is configured to connect a plurality of base stations of the radio access network, and wherein the transport network comprises:

a network node for the radio access network, wherein the network node comprises:

a switch system configured to switch traffic for the plurality of base stations of the radio access network,

wherein the switch system is further configured to provide for communication between a remote radio unit of a distributed base station, of the plurality of base stations, and a separate baseband processing unit of the distributed base station, of the plurality of base stations, wherein the remote radio unit and the separate baseband processing unit are located in two different locations,

wherein the switch system is further configured to provide for communication between a first base station and a second base station, of the plurality of base stations, and wherein at least one of the first and second base stations is a radio base station that comprises both a radio unit and baseband processing; and

an optical connection configured to carry traffic between the network node and the plurality of base stations.

13. The transport network of claim 12 ,

further comprising one or more remote switches,

wherein one or more base stations comprising baseband processing and/or one or more remote radio units are attached to the optical connection by a remote switch, and

wherein the one or more remote switches are configured to:

switch data between the remote radio unit and the separate baseband processing unit; and

switch data transmitted between the first and second base stations.

14. A method for operating a switch system of a network node of a radio access network, the method comprising:

switching traffic between a remote radio unit, of a distributed base station of the plurality of base stations, and a separate baseband processing unit, of the distributed base station of the plurality of base stations of the radio access network, wherein the remote radio unit and the separate baseband processing unit are located in two different locations; and

switching traffic between a first base station and a second base station, of the plurality of base stations, wherein at least one of the first and second base stations is a radio base station that comprises both a radio unit and baseband processing.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein one of the following is true:

the first base station is the radio base station that comprises both the radio unit and the baseband processing, and the second base station is the distributed base station, of the plurality of base stations that comprises the remote radio unit and the separate baseband processing unit; and

the first base station is the radio base station of the plurality of base stations that comprises both the radio unit and the baseband processing, and the second base station is another radio base station, of the plurality of base stations that comprises both the radio unit and the baseband processing.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising switching packets between the first base station that comprises both the radio unit and the baseband processing and the separate baseband processing unit of the second base station, in communication with the remote radio unit.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising switching traffic between a base station, of the plurality of base stations, and a backhaul connection.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

switching traffic to or from an optical connection connecting the network node with the plurality of base stations; and

switching, at one or more remote switches, traffic to or from a base station comprising baseband processing and/or one or more remote radio units.

19. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a computer program product for controlling operation of a switch system of a network node of a radio access network, the computer program product comprising software instructions, which when run on processing circuitry of the switch system, cause the switch system to:

switch traffic between a remote radio unit, of a distributed base station of a plurality of base stations, and a separate baseband processing unit, of the distributed base station of the plurality of base stations of the radio access network, wherein the remote radio unit and the separate baseband processing unit are located in two different locations; and

switch traffic between a first base station and a second base station, of the plurality of base stations, wherein at least one of the first and second base stations is a radio base station that comprises both a radio unit and baseband processing.