Event-based load balancing in 4G-5G multi-radio dual connectivity

A method for balancing load in an area of a wireless network comprising first nodes operating according to a first Radio Access Technology and at least one second node operating according to a second Radio Access Technology, the method comprising:

• establishing a connection between a user device and a first node;
• subsequent to setting an entry threshold based on an expected usage requirement for the area of the wireless network during a current time period, receiving, at the user device from the first node, an indication of the entry threshold for establishing a connection between the user device and a second node during the current time period;
• determining, by the user device, whether a parameter of a signal received from the second node exceeds the entry threshold;
• wherein the parameter and the entry threshold are one of received signal power, received signal quality, or received signal strength;
• responsive to determining that the parameter of the signal received from the second node exceeds the entry threshold, establishing, by the first node, a dual connectivity session between the user device and both the first and the second nodes;
• and
• responsive to determining that the parameter of the signal received from the second node is below an exit threshold for the second node, disconnecting, by the first node, the user device from the second node, wherein the entry threshold and the exit threshold are utilized to load balance between the first node and the second node, wherein the exit threshold is set dependent on and below the entry threshold, to control repeated connection/disconnection cycles.