Controlling handover of a high-priority user equipment operating near a cell edge

An apparatus in an eNodeB of a cellular telecommunication system for controlling handover of a User Equipment (UE) operating near a cell edge of a serving cell, wherein the apparatus includes a processor coupled to a memory that stores computer program instructions, wherein when the processor executes the computer program instructions, the processor causes the apparatus to:

• determine whether the UE has a priority level defined for utilizing a signal-quality threshold parameter that is set at a level greater than a signal-quality handover level used to initiate handover of the UE to a neighbor cell;
• in response to determining that the UE has a priority level defined for utilizing the signal-quality threshold parameter, monitor UE signal-quality reports to determine when a signal quality of the UE in the serving cell is lower than the signal-quality threshold parameter and greater than the signal-quality handover level;
• and
• force a handover of the UE from the serving cell to the neighbor cell in response to determining that the signal quality of the UE is lower than the signal-quality threshold parameter and greater than the signal-quality handover level.

An apparatus in an eNodeB of a cellular telecommunication system for controlling handover of a User Equipment (UE) operating near a cell edge of a serving cell, wherein the apparatus comprises:

• a memory configured to store a Channel Quality Indication (CQI) threshold table that indicates a CQI handover level used to initiate handover of the UE to a neighbor cell, and a CQI Threshold parameter having a level greater than the CQI handover level;
• a radio receiver configured to receive from the UE, CQI reports reporting a CQI of the UE (UEcqi) in the serving cell;
• and
• a scheduler having an interface to an operator system, wherein the scheduler is configured to:
• receive information from the operator system indicating that the Quality of Service (QoS) Class Identifier (QCI) level of the UE is defined to utilize the CQI Threshold parameter;
• instruct a comparison unit to compare the UEcqi with the thresholds stored in the threshold table to determine when the UEcqi is lower than the CQI Threshold parameter and greater than the CQI handover level;
• and
• instruct a forced handover unit to force a handover of the UE to the neighbor cell in response to a determination by the comparison unit that the UEcqi is lower than the CQI Threshold parameter and greater than the CQI handover level.