Load balancing in core network comprising a pool of core network elements

A network element operating in a pool of at least two network elements in a core network, said network element is adapted to control a plurality of Radio Access Network nodes and has associated a relative weighting value;

• the network element comprises means for periodic determining its traffic load, a memory unit, a control unit for comparing the traffic load with an upper limit stored in said memory, a first counter for recording number of consecutive occasions of exceeding the upper limit, wherein said control unit is adapted to reduce the relative weighting value if said network element is overloaded for a number of periods exceeding a limit of allowed consecutive overloads.

A core network controlling radio telecommunications network comprising at least one pool of at least two network elements controlling a plurality of Radio Access Network nodes, wherein a user equipment is assigned to a network element from said pool of network elements based on relative weighting values associated with said network elements, and wherein balancing load of an individual network element operating in the pool is carried out by means for performing:

• periodically determining load of said network element;
• and
• reducing the relative weighting value if said network element is overloaded for number of periods exceeding a limit of allowed consecutive overloads.

A network management system controlling a core network, said core network comprising a plurality of network elements operating in a pool of at least two network elements, wherein an individual network element is adapted to control a plurality of Radio Access Network nodes and has associated a relative weighting value stored in said network management system;

• the network management system comprises means for periodic determining traffic load of individual network elements, a memory unit, a control unit for comparing the traffic load of said individual network element with an upper limit stored in said memory, a first counter for recording number of consecutive occasions of exceeding the upper limit, wherein said control unit is adapted to reduce the relative weighting value if said network element is overloaded for a number of periods exceeding a limit of allowed consecutive overloads.