Methods and apparatus for automatic un-management and automatic management of cells in a hybrid mobile network operator (HMNO) network

An automatic network management entity comprising:

• memory including at least one cell performance removal threshold;
• and
• a processor, the processor being configured to control the automatic network management entity to:
• subscribe the automatic network management entity to an operations support system (OSS) to receive cell information;
• receive cell related performance information relating to one or more cells, said cell related performance information including information relating to at least a first cell;
• analyze the received cell related performance information to determine if one or more cells are to be removed from service;
• and
• automatically send, in response to determining that one or more cells is to be removed from service, a message to initiate removal from service of the one or more cells, said message including a cell list of listing cells to be removed from service, said cell list including at least the first cell.

A non-transitory computer readable medium including machine readable instructions, which when executed by a processor of an automatic management entity cause the automatic management entity to implement the steps of:

• subscribing to an operations support system (OSS) to receive cell information;
• receiving cell related performance information relating to one or more cells, said cell related performance information including information relating to at least a first cell;
• analyzing the received cell related performance information to determine if one or more cells are to be removed from service;
• and
• in response to determining that one or more cells is to be removed from service, automatically sending a message to initiate removal from service of the one or more cells, said message including a cell list listing cells to be removed from service, said cell list including at least the first cell.