Ue statistics collection in an emergency area

A method in a wireless communication network for collecting user equipment (UE) statistics, the method comprising:

• receiving at a base station a UE statistics request message transmitted by a core network node;
• broadcasting, by the base station, triggering information corresponding to the UE statistics request message trigger idle UEs to establish a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection with the base station;
• based on RRC connections established as a result of the broadcasting of the triggering information, obtaining UE statistics of the idle UEs;
• and
• transmitting to the core network node a UE statistics response message that includes the obtained UE statistics.

A first core network node in a wireless communication network operable to collect user equipment (UE) statistics in a specific area, the first core network node comprising:

• a first interface adapted to communicate with a second core network node or an application functionality;
• a second interface adapted to communicate with a base station covering at least a part of the specific area;
• and
• a controlling unit adapted to:
• in response to receiving from the second core network node or the application functionality via the first interface a command requesting UE statistics of idle UEs and connected UEs located in the base station, transmit to, the the base station via the second interface, a UE statistics request message to trigger the base station to obtain UE statistics of idle UEs for the base station,
• receive from, the base station via the second interface, a UE statistics response message that includes the idle UE statistics,
• obtain UE statistics of connected UEs located in the base station, and
• transmit to, at least one of the second core network node or the application functionality via the first interface, a report message including the UE statistics of the idle UEs and connected UEs located in the base station.

A base station in a wireless communication network operable to collect user equipment (UE) statistics, the base station comprising:

• a first interface adapted to communicate with a core network node;
• a second interface adapted to communicate with UEs;
• and
• a controlling unit adapted to:
• receive from, the core network node via the first interface, a UE statistics request message,
• broadcast via the second interface information corresponding to the UE statistics request message to idle UEs to trigger the idle UEs to establish Radio Resource Control (RRC) connections with the base station,
• obtain the UE statistics of the idle UEs from the RRC connections, and
• transmit to, the core network node via the first interface, a UE statistics response message that includes the idle UE statistics.

A user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication network, the UE comprising:

• an interface operable to receive a UE statistics request message transmitted by a base station while the UE is in an idle mode;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• in response to the UE statistics request message, establish a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection with the base station.