BASE STATION, USER EQUIPMENT AND CORRESPONDING METHODS FOR REDIRECTION FROM GSM EDGE RADIO ACCESS NETWORK (GERAN) BANDS TO EVOLVED UMTS TERRESTRIAL RADIO ACCESS NETWORK (EUTRAN) BANDS (As Amended)

A method, comprising:

• generating, by a global system for mobiles edge radio access network (GERAN) base station, a channel release message;
• and
• transmitting, by the GERAN base station, the channel release message to a user equipment (UE),
• wherein the channel release message is configured to redirect the UE to an evolved universal terrestrial radio access (UTRA) absolute radio frequency number (EARFCN) of an evolved universal mobile telecommunications service terrestrial radio access network (EUTRAN) band with a band number greater than sixty four.

A user equipment (UE), comprising:

• radio front end circuitry;
• and
• processor circuitry, coupled to the radio front end circuitry, and configured to:
• receive, using the radio front end circuitry, a channel release message from a base station;
• and
• use the channel release message to redirect to an evolved universal terrestrial radio access (UTRA) absolute radio frequency number (EARECN) of an evolved universal mobile telecommunications service terrestrial radio access network (EUTRAN) band with a band number greater than sixty four.