A macrocell base station, a telecommunications network, and a femtocell base station, and a method of switching a femtocell base station between a dormant mode and an active mode

摘要

A method is provided of switching a femtocell base station for wireless telecommunications between a dormant mode and an active mode. The femtocell base station lies within the coverage area of a macrocell base station. The macrocell base station determines whether a user terminal authorised to connect with the femtocell base station is within the coverage area of the femtocell base station, and dependent upon said determination the macrocell base station transmitting over air to the femotocell base station a command for the femtocell base station to switch mode.