Handover information sent over a public wide area network (e.g. internet)

1. A mobile communications network, comprising:

a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), comprising a plurality of network nodes;

a core network anchor node; and

an access point, serving as a basestation in the mobile communications network, and configured to establish a tunneling connection over a public wide area network to the core network anchor node, wherein the core network anchor node is configured to establish signaling and bearer connections with the access point such that, in the event of a handover between the access point and another of the network nodes of the PLMN, handover information is sent between the access point and the other of the network nodes of the PLMN over the public wide area network, wherein the handover information is sent through the tunneling connection over the public wide area network rather than over a dedicated line, and wherein the access point has a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) interface, with a tunneling connection to the core network anchor node while the access point is active, such that the core network anchor node is able to send handover information to the access point using said tunneling connection, without requiring a mobile device to perform a registration procedure with the access point before handover from the other of the network nodes of the PLMN to the access point.

2. A mobile communications network as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in the event of a handover from the other of the network nodes of the PLMN to the access point, the other of the network nodes of the PLMN is adapted to send handover information to the core network anchor node, and the core network anchor node is adapted to send handover information to the access point.

3. A mobile communications network as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the core network anchor node is adapted to send the handover information to the access point over the public wide area network embedded in a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message.

4. A mobile communications network as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the core network anchor node is adapted to send the handover information to the access point over the public wide area network embedded in a Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) message.

5. A mobile communications network as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in the event of a handover from the access point to another of the network nodes of the PLMN, the core network anchor node is adapted to send handover information to the other of the network nodes of the PLMN, and thereafter is adapted to send a handover message to the access point.

6. A mobile communications network as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the core network anchor node is adapted to send the handover message to the access point over the public wide area network embedded in a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message.

7. A mobile communications network as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the core network anchor node is adapted to send the handover message to the access point over the public wide area network embedded in an Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) message.

8. A mobile communications network as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in the event of a handover of a User Equipment (UE) from the access point to the other of the network nodes of the PLMN, the access point generates a new call to the PLMN to reach the UE now moved under PLMN coverage and reconnects the call to the other party.

9. A core network node for use in a mobile communications network, wherein the core network node comprises an IP Multimedia Subsystem-Mobile Switching Center (IMS-MSC), the IMS-MSC being adapted to establish a tunneling connection over a public wide area network to an access point, serving as a basestation in the mobile communications network, wherein the core network node is configured to establish signaling and bearer connections with the access point such that, in the event of a handover between the access point and another of the network nodes of the Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), handover information is sent between the access point and the IMS-MSC over the public wide area network, wherein the handover information is sent through the tunneling connection over the public wide area network rather than over a dedicated line, and wherein the access point has a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) interface, with a tunneling connection to the core network anchor node while the access point is active, such that the core network anchor node is able to send handover information to the access point using said tunneling connection, without requiring a mobile device to perform a registration procedure with the access point before handover from the other of the network nodes of the PLMN to the access point.

10. A core network node for use in a mobile communications network, wherein the core network node comprises a Session Initiation Protocol-Mobile Switching Center (SIP-MSC), the SIP-MSC being adapted to establish a tunneling connection over a public wide area network to an access point, serving as a basestation in the mobile communications network, wherein the core network node is configured to establish signaling and bearer connections with the access point such that, in the event of a handover between the access point and another of the network nodes of the Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), handover information is sent between the access point and the SIP-MSC over the public wide area network, wherein the handover information is sent through the tunneling connection over the public wide area network rather than over a dedicated line, and wherein the access point has a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) interface, with a tunneling connection to the core network anchor node while the access point is active, such that the core network anchor node is able to send handover information to the access point using said tunneling connection, without requiring a mobile device to perform a registration procedure with the access point before handover from the other of the network nodes of the PLMN to the access point.

11. A core network node for use in a mobile communications network, wherein the core network node comprises a Licensed Generic Access Network Controller (L-GANC), the L-GANC being adapted to establish a tunneling connection over a public wide area network to an access point, serving as a basestation in the mobile communications network, wherein the core network node is configured to establish signaling and bearer connections with the access point such that, in the event of a handover between the access point and another of the network nodes of the Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), handover information is sent between the access point and the L-GANC over the public wide area network, wherein the handover information is sent through the tunneling connection over the public wide area network rather than over a dedicated line, and wherein the access point has a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) interface, with a tunneling connection to the core network anchor node while the access point is active, such that the core network anchor node is able to send handover information to the access point using said tunneling connection, without requiring a mobile device to perform a registration procedure with the access point before handover from the other of the network nodes of the PLMN to the access point.

12. A method of achieving a handover in a mobile communications network, wherein the mobile communications network comprises a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), having a plurality of network nodes, a core network anchor node, and an access point, serving as a basestation in the mobile communications network, wherein the basestation is connected over a public wide area network to the core network anchor node, the method comprising:

determining in the access point that a handover between the access point and another of the network nodes of the PLMN is required, and

sending handover information between the access point and the core network anchor node over the public wide area network, the handover information sent through a tunneling connection over the public wide area network rather than over a dedicated line, wherein the core network anchor node is configured to establish signaling and bearer connections with the access point, wherein the handover information initiates and controls the handover, and wherein the access point has a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) interface, with a tunneling connection to the core network anchor node while the access point is active, such that the core network anchor node is able to send handover information to the access point using said tunneling connection, without requiring a mobile device to perform a registration procedure with the access point before handover from the other of the network nodes of the PLMN to the access point.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 , comprising sending information between the access point and the core network anchor node over the public wide area network embedded in respective Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) messages.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12 , comprising sending information between the access point and the core network anchor node over the public wide area network embedded in respective Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) messages.

15. A method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the core network anchor node comprises an IP Multimedia Subsystem-Mobile Switching Center (IMS-MSC), the IMS-MSC being adapted to establish a tunneling connection over a public wide area network to an access point, serving as a basestation in the mobile communications network, such that, in the event of a handover between the access point and another of the network nodes of the PLMN, handover information is sent between the access point and the IMS-MSC over the public wide area network.

16. A method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the core network anchor node comprises a Session Initiation Protocol-Mobile Switching Center (SIP-MSC), the SIP-MSC being adapted to establish a tunneling connection over a public wide area network to an access point, serving as a basestation in the mobile communications network, such that, in the event of a handover between the access point and another of the network nodes of the PLMN, handover information is sent between the access point and the SIP-MSC over the public wide area network.

17. A method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the core network anchor node comprises a Licensed Generic Access Network Controller (L-GANC), the L-GANC being adapted to establish a tunneling connection over a public wide area network to an access point, serving as a basestation in the mobile communications network, such that, in the event of a handover between the access point and another of the network nodes of the PLMN, handover information is sent between the access point and the L-GANC over the public wide area network.

18. A method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the access point retries to set-up the new call for a configurable set of retries over a period of time.

19. A method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the access point decides to attempt a handover in case the UE becomes unreachable to the access point during an active call.

20. A method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the access point stops retrying to set up said new call if the UE camps again on access point, generates a new call to the UE and reconnects the call to the other party.

21. A method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the access point plays announcements to the other connected party until the new call to UE is reconnected.

22. A method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the UE is provisioned with a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) application that performs faster cell reselection of the macro network cell by searching only within a short list of cell identifiers specified by the access point.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the USIM application automatically answers to the call generated by the access point in order to speed up the reconnection of the call.

24. A mobile communications network, comprising:

a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), comprising a plurality of network nodes;

a core network anchor node; and

an access point, serving as a basestation in the mobile communications network,

wherein the core network anchor node is connected to said network nodes by Mobile Application Part (MAP) interfaces,

wherein the access point has a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) interface adapted to establish a tunneling connection over a public wide area network to the core network anchor node while the access point is active, such that the core network anchor node is able to send handover information to the access point using said tunneling connection, without requiring a mobile device to perform a registration procedure with the access point before handover from the other of the network nodes of the PLMN to the access point,

wherein the core network anchor node provides an interworking function between said tunneling connection and said MAP interfaces, and

wherein the core network anchor node is configured to establish signaling and bearer connections with the access point such that, in the event of a handover between the access point and another of the network nodes of the PLMN, handover information is sent between the access point and the other of the network nodes of the PLMN over the public wide area network.

25. A mobile communications network as claimed in claim 24 , wherein, in the event of a handover from the other of the network nodes of the PLMN to the access point, the other of the network nodes of the PLMN is adapted to send handover information to the core network anchor node, and the core network anchor node is adapted to send handover information to the access point.

26. A mobile communications network as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the core network anchor node is adapted to send the handover information to the access point over the public wide area network embedded in a Session initiation Protocol (SIP) message.

27. A mobile communications network as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the core network anchor node is adapted to send the handover information to the access point over the public wide area network embedded in a Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) message.

28. A mobile communications network as claimed in claim 24 , wherein, in the event of a handover from the access point to another of the network nodes of the PLMN, the core network anchor node is adapted to send handover information to the other of the network nodes of the PLMN, and thereafter is adapted to send a handover message to the access point.

29. A mobile communications network as claimed in claim 28 , wherein the core network anchor node is adapted to send the handover message to the access point over the public wide area network embedded in a SIP message.

30. A mobile communications network as claimed in claim 28 , wherein the core network anchor node is adapted to send the handover message to the access point over the public wide area network embedded in a UMA message.

31. A mobile communications network as claimed in claim 24 , wherein, in the event of a handover of a User Equipment (UE) from the access point to the other of the network nodes of the PLMN, the access point is adapted to generate a new call to the PLMN to reach the UE now moved under PLMN coverage and reconnects the call to the other party.

32. A core network node for use in a mobile communications network comprising a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), wherein the core network node comprises an IP Multimedia Subsystem-Mobile Switching Centre (IMS-MSC),

wherein the IMS-MSC is adapted to establish a tunneling connection over a public wide area network to an access point, serving as a basestation in the mobile communications network and configured to establish a tunneling connection over a public wide area network to the core network anchor node,

wherein the access point has a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) interface, with a tunneling connection to the core network anchor node while the access point is active, such that the core network anchor node is able to send handover information to the access point using said tunneling connection, without requiring a mobile device to perform a registration procedure with the access point before handover from the other of the network nodes of the PLMN to the access point,

wherein the core network node is configured to establish signaling and bearer connections with the access point,

wherein the IMS-MSC is adapted to establish connections over MAP interfaces to other network nodes of the PLMN, and

wherein the IMS-MSC provides an interworking function between the functions of the IMS-MSC and the MAP interfaces, such that, in the event of a handover between the access point and another of the network nodes of the PLMN, handover information is sent between the access point and the IMS-MSC over the public wide area network.

33. A method of achieving a handover in mobile communications network, wherein the mobile communications network comprises:

a PLMN, having a plurality of network nodes,

a core network anchor node, wherein the core network anchor node is connected to said network nodes by MAP interfaces, and

an access point, serving as a basestation in the mobile communications network, wherein the basestation is connected over a public wide area network to the core network anchor node, wherein the core network anchor node provides an interworking function between said tunneling connection and said MAP interfaces, and wherein the core network anchor node is configured to establish signaling and bearer connections with the access point, and wherein the access point has a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) interface, with a tunneling connection to the core network anchor node while the access point is active, such that the core network anchor node is able to send handover information to the access point using said tunneling connection, without requiring a mobile device to perform a registration procedure with the access point before handover from the other of the network nodes of the PLMN to the access point,

the method comprising, in the event of a handover between the access point and another of the network nodes of the PLMN, sending handover information between the access point and the core network anchor node over the public wide area network.

34. A method as claimed in claim 33 , comprising sending information between the access point and the core network anchor node over the public wide area network embedded in respective SIP messages.

35. A method as claimed in claim 33 , comprising sending information between the access point and the core network anchor node over the public wide area network embedded in respective UMA messages.

36. A method as claimed in claim 33 , wherein the core network anchor node comprises an IMS-MSC, the IMS-MSC being adapted to establish a tunneling connection over a public wide area network to an access point, serving as a basestation in the mobile communications network, such that, in the event of a handover between the access point and another of the network nodes of the PLMN, handover information is sent between the access point and the IMS-MSC over the public wide area network.

37. A method as claimed in claim 33 , wherein the core network anchor node comprises a SIP-MSC, the SIP-MSC being adapted to establish a tunneling connection over a public wide area network to an access point, serving as a basestation in the mobile communications network, such that, in the event of a handover between the access point and another of the network nodes of the PLMN, handover information is sent between the access point and the SIP-MSC over the public wide area network.

38. A method as claimed in claim 33 , wherein the core network anchor node comprises a L-Generic Access Network Controller (GANC), the L-GANC being adapted to establish a tunneling connection over a public wide area network to an access point, serving as a basestation in the mobile communications network, such that, in the event of a handover between the access point and another of the network nodes of the PLMN, handover information is sent between the access point and the L-GANC over the public wide area network.

39. A method as claimed in claim 33 , wherein the access point decides to attempt a handover in case the UE becomes unreachable to the access point during an active call.

40. A method as claimed in claim 33 , wherein, in the event of a handover of a User Equipment (UE) from the access point to the other of the network nodes when the UE is in a call with another party, the access point initiates call attempts to the UE via the PLMN, and wherein the access point stops the call attempts to the UE via the PLMN if the UE camps again on access point, generates a new call to the UE and reconnects the call to the other party.

41. A method as claimed in claim 40 , wherein the access point plays announcements to the other connected party until the new call to UE is reconnected.

42. A method as claimed in claim 33 , wherein a User Equipment is provisioned with a USIM application that performs faster cell reselection of the macro network cell by searching only within a short list of cell IDs specified by the access point.

43. A method as claimed in claim 42 , wherein the USIM application automatically answers to the call generated by the access point in order to speed up the reconnection of the call.