Cellular communication system and method for broadcast communication

Management logic (146) for a cellular communication system arranged to be operably coupled to a plurality of wireless serving communication units wherein the management logic comprises:

• broadcast mode logic (150) arranged to support a common cell identifier reuse pattern for broadcast transmissions amongst a cluster of communication cells;
• wherein the broadcast mode logic (150) allocates the same common cell identifier (215) to be used by the plurality of wireless serving communication units to a first timeslot (350) or first sub-frame of the broadcast communication to be used across the cluster of communication cells where the first timeslot (350) or first sub-frame is allocated based on it being more robust to multipath delay due to temporal dispersion of the same broadcast signal from a plurality of wireless serving communication units.

A wireless communication unit comprising:

• a receiver for receiving a broadcast signal from both a first serving wireless communication unit and a second serving wireless communication unit in a first timeslot (350) or first sub-frame wherein both the first serving wireless communication unit and second serving wireless communication unit use a common cell identifier reuse pattern for broadcast transmissions;
• and
• logic arranged to detect the broadcast communication from both the first serving wireless communication unit and second serving wireless communication unit in the first timeslot (350) or first sub-frame, where the broadcast communication is allocated to the first timeslot (350) or first sub-frame based on it being more robust to multipath delay due to temporal dispersion of the same broadcast signal from a plurality of wireless serving communication units.

A method of receiving broadcast communication in a cellular communication system, the method comprising, at a wireless communication unit:

• receiving a broadcast signal from both a first serving wireless communication unit and a second serving wireless communication unit in a first timeslot (350) or first sub-frame wherein both the first serving wireless communication unit and second serving wireless communication unit use a common cell identifier reuse pattern for broadcast transmissions;
• and
• detecting a broadcast communication from both the first serving wireless communication unit and second serving wireless communication unit in the first timeslot (350) or first sub-frame, where the broadcast communication is allocated to the first timeslot (350) or first sub-frame based on it being more robust to multipath delay due to temporal dispersion of the same broadcast signal from a plurality of wireless serving communication units.

A non-transitory computer program product having executable program code stored therein for receiving broadcast communications in a cellular communication system, the program code operable for, when executed at a wireless communication unit:

• receiving a broadcast signal from both a first serving wireless communication unit and a second serving wireless communication unit in a first timeslot (350) or first sub-frame wherein both the first serving wireless communication unit and second serving wireless communication unit use a common cell identifier reuse pattern for broadcast transmissions;
• and
• detecting a broadcast communication from both the first serving wireless communication unit and second serving wireless communication unit in the first timeslot (350) or first sub-frame, where the broadcast communication is allocated to the first timeslot (350) or first sub-frame based on it being more robust to multipath delay due to temporal dispersion of the same broadcast signal from a plurality of wireless serving communication units.