| 摘要 |
A communications system in which a communication device is able to communicate with a base station via a first communication path (e.g. in a cellular network) and with an access node via a second communication path (e.g. in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)). The communication device provides to the base station an indication of whether or not the communication device is enabled to use the second communication path. The communication device receives, from the base station and in dependence on the indication, control data for changing between the first and the second communication paths, and changes between the first and second communication paths in accordance with the received control data. The mobile device is beneficially able to provide an indication to the Base Station of the ability/configuration of the mobile device to perform steering related functions (as a result of user preference and/or technical considerations), before the steering process is initiated and/or before the steering process has progressed significantly. To support this function, the mobile device is able to maintain capability information identifying whether or not WLAN communication is supported and/or user preference information identifying a users preference for using E-UTRAN or WLAN (or both). |
