A method and system for switching a radio access technology (RAT) between wireless communication systems connected to each other while implementing different RATs with a multi-mode WTRU are disclosed. A plurality of wireless communication systems are deployed with overlapping coverage areas wherein each system implements different RATs and are connected to each other such that a service that is provided by one system may be provided through the other system. Each wireless communication system transmits an indication of the existence of an inter-working wireless communication system in a coverage area of each system. The WTRU receives the indication and information regarding the inter-working wireless communication system. The WTRU then initiates a handoff to the inter-working wireless communication system using the received information, whereby the WTRU continues to receive the same services that the WTRU receives from the currently connected wireless communication system through the inter-working wireless communication system.

A method performed by a User Equipment, UE, to perform handover from a source access node to a target access node is provided. The UE, the source access node and 5 the target access node are operating in a wireless communications network. The UE receives (601) a handover command message from the source access node. The UE establishes (602) a target radio connection with the target access node, and determines (603) whether or not a source cell release criterion is fulfilled. When the source cell release criterion is determined to be fulfilled, the UE releases (604) a source radio 10 connection with the source access node.

A method for operating a station during a discovery process includes transmitting a first Layer 2 frame to an access point (AP), the first Layer 2 frame including a first version number associated with first higher layer information and an identifier of a protocol associated with both the first higher layer information and the first version number, receiving a second Layer 2 frame from the AP including an indication that a second version number associated with a second higher layer information is the same as the first version number, and deciding whether to perform a network selection process in accordance with the first higher layer information.

A base station receives packets at a base station in a first network that operates according to a first radio access technology (RAT). The base station selectively routes a portion of the packets towards one or more second networks that operates according to one or more second RATs and transmits information indicating a number of packets in the portion of the packets. The gateway receives the information indicating the number of packets from the base station, determines charging information based on the information indicating the number of packets, and transmits the charging information to a charging entity in the first network.

A method for setting up and maintaining Internet access using a WLAN protocol from a mobile client station, by access points selected in succession, includes setting up a WLAN Internet access by a first selected access point; at that time, opening a first WLAN communication session specific to the first access point; maintaining the Internet access while opening at least one other WLAN communication session specific to at least one other subsequently selected access point. Internet access is maintained in the following way: when the first session is opened, a main communication session is additionally opened using a wide area telecommunication network wireless communication protocol; the opened main session is maintained for as long as one wishes to maintain Internet access; joining the main session as well as each session specific to each selected access point as dependent upon a same unique session identifier.

A method of operating a user equipment in a communications system including at least one cell that is controlled by a radio access node. The method includes maintaining current state information relating to the user equipment, the state information including at least one state information part associated with features for which state information reporting is configured in at least one cell, at least one state information part being associable with a plurality of different values, receiving an indication from the radio access node regarding state information held by the radio access node relating to the user equipment, determining whether to report current state information relating to the radio access node on the basis of the received indication, and reporting a current value associated with at least a given state information part to the radio access node.

Switching the providing of a conversation among communication links is described. An electronic device can determine that a mobile device is being used to provide a conversation (e.g., a phone call) using a first communication link. The mobile device can enter an environment that includes a second communication link. The conversation can be switched to the second communication link that provides more content than the first communication link (e.g., audio and visual content rather than just audio content).

A method and a device for establishing an auxiliary signaling link, a base station and a user equipment are provided. The user equipment is allowed to establish an auxiliary signaling link on a plurality of radio access systems. Thus, for a signaling bearer having an auxiliary link, a RRC signaling message thereon is allowed to be transmitted to the user equipment on a plurality of master/secondary links simultaneously.

A method and apparatus are disclosed for reducing signaling overhead in a wireless communication network. In one embodiment, the method is implemented in a UE. The method includes receiving a first indication from a network node to tell the UE to remember, after the UE enters RRC_IDLE, a first configuration which is currently used while the UE is in RRC_CONNECTED. The method also includes keeping the first configuration upon leaving RRC_CONNECTED. The method further includes releasing the first configuration when the UE connects to a RAT different from where the first indication was received.

A radio terminal (1) communicates with a controlling entity (9) through a first cell (32S) managed by a first radio access network entity (31S) located in a radio access network (RAN) (3) and also through a core network connected to the RAN (3) in order to establish ProSe communication with a second radio terminal (2), and then starts the ProSe communication (103) with the second radio terminal (2) in the first cell (32S). The radio terminal (1) transmits or receives, to or from the controlling entity (9), first control information about a handover of the first and second radio terminals (1, 2) from the first cell (32S) to a second cell (32T) managed by a second radio access network entity (31T) located in the RAN (3). This contributes to improvement in an inter-base station handover of a radio terminal that is performing inter-terminal direct communication.