Channel bandwidth assignment based on mobile communications device capability data

Abstract

Aspects of the subject matter described herein are directed towards indicating to a communications network the bandwidth capability data of a user equipment (mobile) device. This allows distinguishing between legacy user equipment that does not support larger bandwidths from newer user equipment that does. A network can thus limit the bandwidth via one of its supported bandwidth parts to a user equipment's bandwidth capability data, such as the maximum supported static bandwidth part of the legacy user equipment. At the same time, larger bandwidths can be assigned to user equipment devices capable of supporting larger bandwidths. Information elements can be used to communicate the bandwidth data from the user equipment to the network, e.g., during initial communications or as requested by the network. Once obtained, the bandwidth data of a user equipment device can be maintained by the network and forwarded to a target cells as part of cell handovers.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.