Wireless communications apparatus and methods

1. A method of operating a first non-terrestrial network part supporting a plurality of spot beams providing corresponding coverage areas in a wireless telecommunications network, the method comprising:

communicating with a communications device in a first coverage area associated with a first spot beam of the first non-terrestrial network part;

determining a location of the communications device;

determining the coverage area of the first spot beam;

determining a relative motion, relative to the communications device, of the coverage area of the first spot beam;

determining, at the first non-terrestrial network part, a change in the coverage area of the first spot beam based on a trajectory of the non-terrestrial network part, wherein determining the relative motion is based on the change in the coverage area of the first spot beam;

identifying a new coverage area for the communications device based on the location and the relative motion, the new coverage area corresponding to a coverage area of a second spot beam different from the first spot beam; and

implementing a mobility procedure for the communications device.

2. A method for a communications device acting as a relay node for one or more terminal devices in a wireless telecommunications network, the wireless telecommunications network comprising a base station and a non-terrestrial network part, the method comprising:

establishing a connection with the one or more terminal devices,

communicating with the base station in a first coverage area associated with a first spot beam of the non-terrestrial network part, and

receiving an indication to perform a mobility procedure to a new coverage area, the new coverage area corresponding to a coverage area of a second spot beam different from the first spot beam,

wherein, in response to the second spot beam being supported by the first non-terrestrial network part, the mobility procedure is a first mobility procedure, and in response to the second spot beam being supported by a second non-terrestrial network part different from the first non-terrestrial network part the mobility procedure is a second mobility procedure different from the first mobility procedure,

wherein the first mobility procedure is a beam level mobility procedure managed at protocol layers lower than an RRC layer without the use of a handover procedure and RRC signaling, and the second mobility procedure is a handover procedure based on an RRC connection between the communications device and the second non-terrestrial network part.

3. The method according to claim 2 , the method comprising:

determining a first location of the communications device at a first time,

determining at least one of a second location of the communications device at a second time, and a speed and a direction of a motion of the communications device,

transmitting an indication of the first location to the non-terrestrial network part,

transmitting the at least one of the second location and the speed and the direction of the motion to the non-terrestrial network part, and

performing the mobility procedure in response to receiving the indication while maintaining the connection with the one or more terminal devices.

4. Circuitry for a first non-terrestrial network part supporting a plurality of spot beams providing corresponding coverage areas in a wireless telecommunications network, the first non-terrestrial network part comprising processor circuitry and transceiver circuitry configured to operate together such that the circuitry is operable:

to communicate with a communications device in a first coverage area associated with a first spot beam of the first non-terrestrial network part:

to identify a new coverage area for the communications device, the new coverage area corresponding to a coverage area of a second spot beam different from the first spot beam, and

to implement a mobility procedure for the communications device;

wherein, in response to the second spot beam being supported by the first non-terrestrial network part, the mobility procedure is a first mobility procedure, and in response to the second spot beam being supported by a second non-terrestrial network part different from the first non-terrestrial network part the mobility procedure is a second mobility procedure different from the first mobility procedure,

wherein the first mobility procedure is a beam level mobility procedure managed at protocol layers lower than an RRC layer without the use of a handover procedure and RRC signaling and the second mobility procedure is a handover procedure based on an RRC connection between the communications device and the second non-terrestrial network part.

5. A communications device for acting as a relay node for one or more terminal devices in a wireless telecommunications network, the wireless telecommunications network comprising a base station and a non-terrestrial network part, the communications device comprising controller circuitry and transceiver circuitry configured to operate together such that the communications device is operable:

to establish a connection with the one or more terminal devices,

to communicate with the base station in a first coverage area associated with a first spot beam of the non-terrestrial network part, and

to receive an indication to perform a mobility procedure to a new coverage area, the new coverage area corresponding to a coverage area of a second spot beam different from the first spot beam,

wherein, in response to the second spot beam being supported by the first non-terrestrial network part, the mobility procedure is a first mobility procedure, and in response to the second spot beam being supported by a second non-terrestrial network part different from the first non-terrestrial network part the mobility procedure is a second mobility procedure different from the first mobility procedure,

wherein the first mobility procedure is a beam level mobility procedure managed at protocol layers lower than an RRC layer without the use of a handover procedure and RRC signaling and the second mobility procedure is a handover procedure based on an RRC connection between the communications device and the second non-terrestrial network part.