METHOD FOR ELIMINATING MUTING DURING EVOLVED MULTICAST BROADCAST SERVICE (eMBS) SERVICE CHANGE

A method of preventing muting of ongoing services of a multimedia broadcast and multicast service, MBMS, in a wireless communication network having a base station during multicast scheduling periods, MSPs, when an existing multicast traffic channel, MTCH, is to be stopped, the method comprising:

• sending an indication of service stop to trigger sending of a multicast control channel, MCCH, update during a first MCCH modification period to inform the base station of the existing MTCH to be stopped during a second MCCH modification period at a time determined at the base station;
• and
• sending control packet data units, PDUs, during an MCCH modification period following the first MCCH modification period, the PDUs arranged to avoid muting of the ongoing services.

A broadcast-multicast service center, BM-SC, configured to signal a base station to prevent muting of ongoing services of a multimedia broadcast and multicast service, MBMS, in a wireless communication network during multicast scheduling periods, MSPs, when a new multicast traffic channel, MTCH, is to be started, the BM-SC comprising:

• a service start/stop module configured to indicate a service start to trigger generation of a multicast control channel, MCCH, update during a first MCCH modification period to inform the base station of the new MTCH to be started during a second MCCH modification period at a time determined at the base station;
• and
• a control packet data unit, PDU, module configured to generate and send PDUs during an MCCH modification period preceding the second MCCH modification period, the PDUs arranged to avoid muting of the ongoing services.

A broadcast-multicast service center, BM-SC, configured to signal a base station to prevent muting of ongoing services of a multimedia broadcast and multicast service, MBMS, in a wireless communication network during multicast scheduling periods, MSPs, when an existing multicast traffic channel, MTCH, is to be stopped, the BM-SC comprising:

• a service start/stop module configured to indicate a service stop to trigger generation of a multicast control channel, MCCH, update during a first modification period to inform the base station of the existing MTCH to be stopped during a second MCCH modification period at a time determined at the base station;
• and
• a control packet data unit, PDUs, module configured to send PDUs during an MCCH modification period following the first MCCH modification period, the PDUs arranged to avoid muting of the ongoing services.