MOBILE COMMUNICATION BASE STATION AND METHOD FOR ALLOCATING RESOURCES OUTSIDE OF A VIRTUAL CARRIER BASED ON UE CAPABILITIES

摘要

A mobile communications network includes one or more network elements providing a wireless access interface for communications devices. The wireless access interface provides a plurality of communications resource elements across a host frequency bandwidth, and includes, within the host frequency bandwidth, a first section of communications resource elements within a first frequency bandwidth for allocation preferably to reduced capability devices to receive signals representing the data transmitted by the transmitter unit within the first bandwidth forming a first virtual carrier, the reduced capability devices each having a receiver bandwidth which is greater than or equal to the first frequency bandwidth but less than the host frequency bandwidth. The communications device is configured to transmit to the mobile communications network a relative capability of the communications device to receive data via the wireless access interface, the relative capability comprising at least an indication of a relative bandwidth of the receiver unit to receive signals within the host frequency range greater than or equal to the first bandwidth, and to receive an allocation of communications resource elements which include communications resource elements which are outside the first virtual carrier, but within the bandwidth of the communications device, in response to the indication of the relative capability of the communications device. Communications devices of different capabilities can be allocated communications resources within different frequency ranges according to their capability, which can relieve congestion on a centre frequency of communications resources in which communications devices with a minimum bandwidth capability must receive communications resources for receiving down link signals.