TRANSMISSION OF USEFUL AND CONTROL INFORMATION DURING SOFT HANDOVER

1 - 13 . (canceled)

14 . A method for communication by radio, comprising:

receiving, at first and second network-end radio stations, information content sent by a subscriber station and control information relating to the information content;

forwarding the control information from the first and second network-end radio station to a first network-end device; and

forwarding the information content only from the first network-end radio station.

15 . The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the first network-end radio station forwards the information content to the first network-end device.

16 . The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the first network-end radio station forwards the information content to a second network-end device.

17 . The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the first network-end device sends at least one of the first and second network-end radio station instructions in regard to forwarding of the information content.

18 . The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the first network-end device combines the control information received by the first network-end radio station with the control information received by the second network-end radio station and forwards the resulting control information.

19 . The method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the first network-end device is part of one of the first and second network-end radio stations.

20 . The method as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the first network-end radio station receives the information content at higher reception power than the second network-end radio station.

21 . The method as claimed in claim 20 , further comprising, at a later time:

forwarding the control information from the first and second network-end radio stations; and

forwarding the information content only from the second network-end radio station.

22 . The method as claimed in claim 20 , further comprising, at a later or earlier time:

forwarding the control information from the first and second network-end radio stations; and

forwarding the information content from the first and second network-end radio stations.

23 . The method as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the information content is transmitted to the first and second network-end radio stations using an uplink channel common to a plurality of subscriber stations.

24 . The method as claimed in claim 22 ,

wherein the method is carried out in relation to a plurality of subscriber stations, and

wherein only the first network-end radio station forwards information content received from a first set of at least the subscriber station and only the second network-end radio station forwards information content received from a second set of at least one other subscriber station.

25 . The method as claimed in claim 24 , wherein the first and second network-end radio stations receive the information content from the first set of at least the subscriber station within a first time period and receive the information content from the second set of at least one other subscriber station within a second time period.

26 . A radio communication system serving subscriber stations, comprising:

a network-end device; and

first and second network-end radio stations, only said first network-end radio station having first forwarding means for forwarding information content sent by one of the subscriber stations, each of said first and second network-end radio stations having

receiving means for receiving the information content and control information relating to the information content; and

second forwarding means for forwarding the control information to said network-end device.