MOBILE COMMUNICATION NETWORK AND METHOD OF OPERATION THEREOF

摘要

A GSM mobile communicaton network comprising a group of picocells (2) or microcells within the coverage (11) of a simulcast carrier is arranged to instruct a mobile station (4, 4') to transmit on a BCCH frequency and the corresponding freed timeslot available to the picocellular heads (1) or to a base transceiver station is utilised to make interference measurements to assist in frequency allocation between the cells of the network or to enable all the picocellular heads to make uplink measurements on a mobile station to determine the best picocell for intercellular handover. This latter mode of operation overcomes the problem of frequency ambiguity associated with conventional downlink measurements by the mobile stations prior to handover in a simulcast system.