Radio link aggregation

1. A method, implemented in a network device, the method comprising:

distributing a plurality of symbol blocks, received via a plurality of input streams, to a plurality of output links comprised in a defined connection according to a mapping of the symbol blocks to the output links;

responsive to an input stream of the plurality of input streams being empty such that an expected symbol block is not received, distributing idle data to the output link mapped to the expected symbol block to maintain the mapping of the symbol blocks to the output links;

transmitting the symbol blocks and idle data over the defined connection via the plurality of output links and according to the distribution.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising serializing the plurality of symbol blocks into a service stream, wherein distributing the plurality of symbol blocks comprises distributing the symbol blocks from the service stream.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising responsive to the input stream of the plurality of input streams being empty such that the expected symbol block is not received, inserting the idle data into the service stream, wherein distributing the idle data to the output link comprises distributing the idle data from the service stream.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising keeping transmission capacity of the plurality of output links fully utilized at least in part by distributing and transmitting the idle data.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting of the symbol blocks is further in accordance with a scheduling parameter received from a remote management node.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the defined connection is a point-to-point connection.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the symbol blocks and idle data comprises transmitting the symbol blocks within a predefined time period of having received the symbol blocks.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the predefined time period is a duration of a frame in a time division multiplexing protocol used by the plurality of input streams, the plurality of output links, or both.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving the mapping of the symbol blocks to the output links, at least in part, from a remote management node.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising recalculating the mapping of the symbol blocks to the output links responsive to a failure of one or more of the input streams and/or one or more of the output links.

11. A network device comprising:

processing circuitry configured to:

distribute a plurality of symbol blocks, received via a plurality of input streams, to a plurality of output links comprised in a defined connection according to a mapping of the symbol blocks to the output links;

responsive to an input stream of the plurality of input streams being empty such that an expected symbol block is not received, distribute idle data to the output link mapped to the expected symbol block to maintain the mapping of the symbol blocks to the output links; and

transmit the symbol blocks and idle data over the defined connection via the plurality of output links and according to the distribution; and

memory communicatively coupled to the processing circuitry and configured to store the mapping of the symbol blocks to the output links.

12. The network device of claim 11 , wherein:

the processing circuitry is further configured to serialize the plurality of symbol blocks into a service stream;

to distribute the plurality of symbol blocks, the processing circuitry is configured to distribute the symbol blocks from the service stream.

13. The network device of claim 12 , wherein:

the processing circuitry is further configured to insert the idle data into the service stream responsive to the input stream of the plurality of input streams being empty such that the expected symbol block is not received;

to distribute the idle data to the output link, the processing circuitry is configured to distribute the idle data from the service stream.

14. The network device of claim 11 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to keep transmission capacity of the plurality of output links fully utilized, at least in part, by distributing and transmitting the idle data.

15. The network device of claim 11 , to transmit the symbol blocks the processing circuitry is configured to transmit the symbol blocks in further accordance with a scheduling parameter received from a remote management node.

16. The network device of claim 11 , wherein the defined connection is a point-to-point connection.

17. The network device of claim 11 , wherein to transmit the symbol blocks and idle data the processing circuitry is configured to transmit the symbol blocks within a predefined time period of having received the symbol blocks.

18. The network device of claim 17 , wherein the predefined time period is a duration of a frame in a time division multiplexing protocol used by the plurality of input streams, the plurality of output links, or both.

19. The network device of claim 11 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to receive the mapping of the symbol blocks to the output links, at least in part, from a remote management node.

20. The network device of claim 11 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to recalculate the mapping of the symbol blocks to the output links responsive to a failure of one or more of the input streams and/or one or more of the output links.