Method and apparatus for directing wireless resources in a communication network
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method including determining, according to first information associated with a first wireless access device and second information associated with a second wireless access device, to facilitate communication between a first wireless communication device in a first geographic area and a network via the second wireless access device, and, in response, directing, according to a directional capability of the second wireless access device, the second wireless access device to cover a first portion of the first geographic area associated with the first wireless communication device, and directing the second wireless access device to facilitate the communication between the first wireless communication device and the network. Other embodiments are disclosed.
1. A method, comprising:
determining, by a processing system including a processor, according to network traffic information associated with a first wireless access device providing coverage of a first geographic area for a first wireless network and directional capability information associated with a directional capability of a second wireless access device for selectively covering a plurality of geographic areas for a second wireless network, whether to facilitate, via the second wireless access device, first communication with a first wireless communication device located within the first geographic area; and
responsive to a determination to facilitate the first communication, with the second wireless access device:
directing, by the processing system, the second wireless access device to cover a first portion of the first geographic area for the second wireless network via the directional capability of the second wireless access device; and
directing, by the processing system, the second wireless access device to facilitate the first communication with the first wireless communication device.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising directing, by the processing system, the first wireless access device to stop facilitating second communication with the first wireless communication device.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first wireless access device facilitates the second communication with the first wireless communication device according to a default policy.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the directional capability of the second wireless access device includes an antenna system capable of guiding electromagnetic energy in a selectable direction.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the directional capability of the second wireless access device includes an antenna system capable of receiving electromagnetic energy from a selectable direction.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising accessing, by the processing system, network capability information associated with the second wireless access device, wherein the determining whether to facilitate, via the second wireless access device, the first communication with the first wireless communication device is further according to the network capability information.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining whether to facilitate, via the second wireless access device, the first communication with the first wireless communication device is further according to a priority of the first wireless communication device.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining whether to facilitate, via the second wireless access device, the first communication with the first wireless communication device is further according to a requirement of a service selected by the first wireless communication device.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising redirecting, by the processing system, the second wireless access device to cover a second portion of the first geographic areas, wherein a second wireless communication device is operating in the second portion of the first geographic area.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first portion of the first geographic area and the second portion of the first geographic area are two slices of a fifth generation wireless coverage area that is selectively provided to a plurality of communication devices by the second wireless network.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network traffic information includes communication loading, network capability, or any combination thereof.
12. A wireless communication device, comprising:
a processing system including a processor; and
a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
accessing a first wireless network via first communication with a first wireless access device, wherein the first wireless access device provides coverage of a first geographic area of the first wireless network; and
accessing a second wireless network via second communication with a second wireless access device, wherein the second wireless access device is directed to facilitate the second communication with the second wireless network based on network traffic information associated with the first wireless access device and directional capability information associated with a directional capability of the second wireless access device, and wherein the second wireless access device provides coverage of a first portion of the first geographic area via the directional capability.
13. The wireless communication device of claim 12 , wherein the first wireless access device is directed to stop facilitating the first communication with the first wireless network responsive to the second wireless access device facilitating the second communication with the second wireless network.
14. The wireless communication device of claim 12 , wherein the directional capability of the second wireless access device includes an antenna system capable of guiding electromagnetic energy in a selectable direction.
15. The wireless communication device of claim 14 , wherein the directional capability of the second wireless access device includes an antenna system capable of receiving electromagnetic energy from a selectable direction.
16. The wireless communication device of claim 12 , wherein the second wireless access device is directed to facilitate the second communication with the second wireless network further based on a priority of the wireless communication device.
17. The wireless communication device of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprises receiving a selection of a service, wherein the second wireless access device is directed to facilitate the second communication with the second wireless network further based on a requirement of the service selected by the wireless communication device.
18. The wireless communication device of claim 12 , wherein the second wireless access device is directed to facilitate the second communication with the second wireless network further based on network capacity information associated with the first wireless access device.
19. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium operating at a first wireless access device of a first wireless network, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
receiving a command from the first wireless network to facilitate first communication with a wireless communication device, wherein the command is based on network traffic information associated with a second wireless access device of a second wireless network and directional capability information associated with a directional capability; and
responsive to the receiving of the command:
covering, via the directional capability, a first portion of a first geographic area associated with the second wireless access device of the second wireless network; and
facilitating the first communication with the wireless communication device.
20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the directional capability of the first wireless access device includes an antenna system capable of guiding electromagnetic energy in a selectable direction, and wherein the directional capability of the first wireless access device includes an antenna system capable of receiving electromagnetic energy from a selectable direction.