Telecommunications apparatus and methods

1. A method for use in a mobile telecommunications network, the mobile telecommunications network comprising a core network, a base station providing wireless connectivity within a base station cell, a mobile node in the base station cell providing wireless connectivity within a virtual cell and configured to communicate wirelessly with the base station, and a terminal configured to communicate wirelessly with the base station and configured to communicate wirelessly with the mobile node; the method comprising:

receiving at the core network an association of the terminal with the mobile node and the base station and a virtual cell tracking area identifier uniquely identifying a tracking area of the virtual cell;

sending a paging message for the terminal from the core network to the base station using the association to direct the paging message to the base station, the paging message including the virtual cell tracking area identifier; and

forwarding the paging message from the base station to the terminal using the virtual cell tracking area identifier.

2. A mobile telecommunications network, the mobile telecommunications network comprising a core network, a base station providing wireless connectivity within a base station cell, a mobile node in the base station cell providing wireless connectivity within a virtual cell and configured to communicate wirelessly with the base station, and a terminal configured to communicate wirelessly with the base station and configured to communicate wirelessly with the mobile node, wherein the mobile telecommunications network is configured to:

receiving at the core network an association of the terminal with the mobile node and the base station and a virtual cell tracking area identifier uniquely identifying a tracking area of the virtual cell;

send a paging message for the terminal from the core network to the base station using the association to direct the paging message to the base station, the paging message including the virtual cell tracking area identifier; and

forward the paging message from the base station to the terminal using the virtual cell tracking area identifier.

3. A method of operating a terminal for use in a mobile telecommunications network comprising a core network, a base station providing wireless connectivity within a base station cell, and a mobile node in the base station cell providing wireless connectivity within a virtual cell and configured to communicate wirelessly with the base station, wherein the terminal comprises a transmitter, a receiver and a controller and is configured to communicate wirelessly with the base station and to communicate wirelessly with the mobile node, the method comprising:

the terminal notifying the core network of an association of the terminal with the mobile node and the base station; and

the terminal receiving from the base station a paging message sent to the base station from the core network using the association to direct the paging message to the base station, the paging message including a virtual cell tracking area identifier that uniquely identifies a tracking area of the virtual cell and is used by the base station to forward the paging message to the terminal.

4. The method of claim 3 , in which the terminal receives the paging message directly from the base station.

5. The method of claim 3 , in which the terminal receives the paging message from the base station via the mobile node.

6. The method of claim 3 , and further comprising:

the terminal establishing a full local radio connection between the terminal and the mobile node in response to receiving the paging message, and causing the mobile node to forward a confirmation of successful paging to the core network.

7. The method of claim 3 , and further comprising:

the terminal, in response to a trigger, sending an updated notification of an association of the terminal with a mobile node and/or a base station.

8. The method of claim 7 , in which the trigger is expiry of a fixed duration timer that runs when there is a limited local radio connection between the terminal and the mobile node.

9. The method of claim 7 , in which the trigger is movement of the terminal to a different virtual cell tracking area.

10. The method of claim 7 , in which the trigger is movement of the terminal to a different base station cell.

11. The method of claim 7 , in which the terminal sends the updated notification to the base station if the terminal has moved to a different virtual cell tracking area within the base station cell.

12. The method of claim 7 , in which the terminal sends the updated notification to the core network if the terminal has moved to a different virtual cell tracking area within a different base station cell.

13. The method of claim 7 , in which the terminal sends the updated notification via the mobile node.

14. Circuitry for a terminal for use in a mobile telecommunications network comprising a core network, a base station providing wireless connectivity within a base station cell, and a mobile node in the base station cell providing wireless connectivity within a virtual cell and configured to communicate wirelessly with the base station; wherein the circuitry comprises a controller element and a transceiver element configured to operate together to:

enable the terminal to communicate wirelessly with the base station and with the mobile node;

notify the core network of an association of the terminal with the mobile node and the base station; and

receiving from the base station a paging message sent to the base station from the core network using the association to direct the paging message to the base station, the paging message including a virtual cell tracking area identifier that uniquely identifies a tracking area of the virtual cell and is used by the base station to forward the paging message to the terminal.