ON-DEMAND SERVICES BY WIRELESS BASE STATION VIRTUALIZATION

摘要

A method for providing on-demand wireless services is disclosed. A service requested by a wireless access device is provided via a first virtual wireless base station presence at a first wireless base station. Degradation in signal quality between the wireless access device and the first wireless base station is detected (420). It is then determined that the wireless access device is preparing to roam from a coverage area of the first wireless base station when the degradation in signal quality meets a predetermined threshold. A second wireless base station is identified that provides better signal quality than the degraded signal quality from the first wireless base station. The second wireless base station authenticates (430) the wireless access device. Authentication requirements are reduced based on information provided to the second wireless base station from the first wireless base station. Then, a second virtual wireless base station presence is initiated at the second wireless base station to provide the requested service. A corresponding apparatus is disclosed as well.