Optimizing mobile network bandwidth

A communication system comprising:

• a central module for interfacing with a core network element;
• and
• a remote module for interfacing with a remote base station,
• wherein the central module and remote module are adapted to provide communication between the core network element and the remote base station, and each of the central module and the remote module is adapted to
• detect a first encrypted data channel and signalling channels used for communicating with the other one of the central module and the remote module,
• extract encrypted data traffic from the first encrypted data channel without affecting the signalling channels, and decrypt a portion of the encrypted data traffic to produce decrypted data traffic,
• optimize the decrypted data traffic to reduce bandwidth required and transmit the optimized data, and
• receive optimized data from the other one of the central module and the remote module and re-constitute a second encrypted data channel.

A method of communicating between a core network element and a remote base station in a communication system having a central module for interfacing with the core network element and a remote module for interfacing with the remote base station, the method being performed at each of the central module and the remote module comprising:

• detecting a first encrypted data channel and signalling channels used for communicating with the other one of the central module and the remote module;
• extracting encrypted data traffic from the first encrypted data channel without affecting the signalling channels;
• decrypting a portion of the encrypted data traffic to produce decrypted data traffic;
• optimizing the decrypted data traffic to reduce bandwidth required;
• transmitting the optimized data;
• receiving optimized data from the other one of the central module and the remote module;
• and
• re-constituting a second encrypted data channel.

A computer readable medium storing instructions that perform a method of communicating between a core network element and a remote base station in a communication system having a central module for interfacing with the core network element and a remote module for interfacing with the remote base station, when the method is performed by a programmable computer included in each of the central module and the remote module, the medium storing instructions to perform steps comprising:

• detecting a first encrypted data channel and signalling channels used for communicating with the other one of the central module and the remote module;
• extracting encrypted data traffic from the first encrypted data channel without affecting the signalling channels;
• decrypting a portion of the encrypted data traffic to produce decrypted data traffic;
• optimizing the decrypted data traffic to reduce bandwidth required;
• transmitting the optimized data;
• receiving optimized data from the other one of the central module and the remote module;
• and
• re-constituting a second encrypted data channel.