Licensed assisted access based on low utilization of unlicensed channels

#User equipment (UE) and base stations of a telecommunication network primarily communicate with each other wirelessly using frequencies in a licensed spectrum. For example, UEs and base stations can exchange Long-Term Evolution (LTE) transmissions over frequencies in a band that has been licensed by an operator of a telecommunication network for LTE transmissions.

#However, in some cases UEs and base stations can also exchange data over frequencies in an unlicensed spectrum. For example, Licensed Assisted Access (LAA) technology can be used to send LTE transmissions over frequencies in the unlicensed spectrum that are often used for Wi-Fi transmissions. When UEs and base stations send LTE transmissions over both licensed and unlicensed frequencies, bandwidth can be increased relative to sending data over the licensed frequencies alone.

#The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The use of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similar or identical items or features.

#FIG. 1 depicts an example environment in which user equipment (UE) can connect to base stations of a telecommunication network over channels in a licensed spectrum as well as channels of an unlicensed spectrum that may also be used for Wi-Fi transmissions.

#FIG. 2 depicts a UE collecting data from beacon signals broadcasted by Wi-Fi access points and submitting a Wi-Fi report to a server.

#In a wireless telecommunication network, user equipment (UE) and network equipment primarily communicate with each other wirelessly using frequencies within one or more spectrums that have been licensed by an operator of the wireless telecommunication network. However, in some cases communications between UEs and network equipment can also, or alternately, exchange data using unlicensed frequencies, such as frequencies often used for Wi-Fi communications.

#For example, although communications in a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) network may use frequencies in specific bands that have been licensed by an operator of the LTE network for LTE transmissions, Licensed Assisted Access (LAA) technology can also be used to send LTE transmissions over frequencies in an unlicensed spectrum. In some examples, carrier aggregation (CA) can be used to send data over both licensed frequencies and unlicensed frequencies using LAA, thereby increasing bandwidth relative to sending data over licensed frequencies alone. The increase in bandwidth due to LAA transmissions in the unlicensed spectrum in addition to regular LTE transmissions in the licensed spectrum can be referred to as the gain due to LAA.

#However, LAA transmissions can potentially interfere with Wi-Fi transmissions when both types of transmissions use the same channels in the unlicensed spectrum. Wi-Fi transmissions generally use channels in a 2.4 GHz band of frequencies in the unlicensed spectrum and/or channels in a 5 GHz band of frequencies in the unlicensed spectrum. The 2.4 GHz band is often used more heavily for Wi-Fi transmissions than the 5 GHz band because the 2.4 GHz band can provide a wider coverage area and is supported by more legacy devices, although in many cases the 5 GHz band can provide higher data transfer speeds.