Node and method for enabling a wireless terminal to be served by multiple cells in a communications network

A wireless terminal comprising:

• radio circuitry;
• and
• processing circuitry configured to:
• transmit, via the radio circuitry, an indication to a source base station serving the wireless terminal, indicating that the wireless terminal supports selective handover procedures, which allow for identified subsets of bearers associated with the wireless terminal to be handed over;
• receive, via the radio circuitry, a selective handover message from the source base station, the selective handover message identifying a subset of existing bearers to be handed over from the source base station to a target base station;
• and
• in response to determining that the identified subset is empty, use the radio circuitry to establish time alignment and synchronization with the target base station, while remaining connected to the source base station via the existing bearers.

A method of operation by a base station operating as a source base station with respect to a wireless terminal, the method comprising:

• receiving an indication from the wireless terminal, indicating that the wireless terminal supports selective handovers, which allow for identified subsets of bearers associated with the wireless terminal to be handed over;
• and
• in dependence on having determined from the indication that the wireless terminal supports selective handovers, subsequently:
• triggering the wireless terminal to establish timing alignment and synchronization with a target base station without handing over any existing bearers used by the source base station for the wireless terminal, based on
• sending, to the wireless terminal, a selective handover message to the wireless terminal, indicating an empty subset of the existing bearers to be handed over to the target base station.

A base station configured for operation as a source base station with respect to a wireless terminal, the base station comprising:

• radio circuitry;
• and
• processing circuitry configured to:
• receive an indication from the wireless terminal via the radio circuitry, indicating that the wireless terminal supports selective handovers, which allow for identified subsets of bearers associated with the wireless terminal to be handed over;
• and
• in dependence on having determined from the indication that the wireless terminal supports selective handovers, subsequently:
• trigger the wireless terminal to establish timing alignment and synchronization with a target base station without handing over any existing bearers used by the source base station for the wireless terminal, based on sending, via the radio circuitry,
• a selective handover message to the wireless terminal, indicating an empty subset of the existing bearers to be handed over to the target base station.