Wireless communications apparatus and methods

Wireless communications apparatus for configuring a communications device in a serving cell of a wireless communications network comprising a non-terrestrial network part providing the serving cell, the wireless communications apparatus comprising:

• a transceiver for transmitting and receiving signals on a wireless access interface to or from the non-terrestrial network part, and
• a controller configured to control the transceiver so that the communications apparatus is operable:
• to establish a connection in the serving cell between the communications device and the wireless communications network for transmitting data to and receiving data from the communications device,
• to identify a candidate cell for a handover of the communications device,
• to determine that one or both of the serving cell and the candidate cell is provided by a non-terrestrial network part of the wireless communications network,
• based on the determining that one or both of the serving cell and the candidate cell is provided by a non-terrestrial network part of the wireless communications network, to determine as a measurement window a time period during which the communications device can receive measurement signals transmitted in the candidate cell, and
• to configure the communications device to measure the measurement signals received within the measurement window.

Circuitry for a wireless communications apparatus for configuring a communications device in a serving cell of a wireless communications network comprising a non-terrestrial network part providing the serving cell, the circuitry comprising:

• transceiver circuitry for transmitting and receiving signals on a wireless access interface to or from the non-terrestrial network part, and
• controller circuitry configured to control the transceiver so that the communications apparatus is operable:
• to establish a connection in the serving cell between the communications device and the wireless communications network for transmitting data to and receiving data from the communications device,
• to identify a candidate cell for a handover of the communications device,
• to determine that one or both of the serving cell and the candidate cell is provided by a non-terrestrial network part of the wireless communications network,
• based on the determining that one or both of the serving cell and the candidate cell is provided by a non-terrestrial network part of the wireless communications network, to determine as a measurement window a time period during which the communications device can receive measurement signals transmitted in the candidate cell, and
• to configure the communications device to measure the measurement signals received within the measurement window.