Radio network controller selection for IP-connected radio base station

A radio access network comprising:

• a database;
• plural controller nodes;
• at least one femto radio base station comprising:
• a resident radio receiver for receiving system information broadcast in the radio access network over an air interface from a node which broadcasts the system information;
• means for using at least part of the system information for constructing a node address inquiry which includes the system information;
• an Internet Protocol (IP) interface for sending the node address inquiry to the database, for receiving, as a response to the node address inquiry, an internet protocol (IP) address of an appropriate controller node of the plural controller nodes, and for using the address of the appropriate radio network controller node for connecting the femto radio base station to the appropriate controller node as an active control node for the at least one femto radio base station, the appropriate controller node having an established communication path to a macro base station node that controls a macro cell of the radio access network, the macro cell overlaying the femto radio base station.