Method for retrieving content by a wireless communication device having first and second radio access interfaces, wireless communication device and communication system

A wireless communication device including:

• a first radio access interface for communication with a first access network;
• a second radio access interface for communication with a second access network;
• and
• a processing unit configured to:
• in response to receiving a request for retrieval of content from a remote server, retrieve a first part of requested content over a first radio access technology connection and via the first radio access interface and determine if the retrieval of the first part over the first radio access technology connection meets a required Quality of Service, QoS, threshold for the requested content;
• activate the second radio access interface when the retrieval of the first part of the requested content over the first radio access technology connection is determined not to meet the required QoS threshold;
• divide a next part of the requested content to be retrieved into at least a first portion for retrieval over the first radio access technology connection and a second portion for retrieval over a second radio access technology connection and via the second radio access interface, wherein the first and second portions are selected such that retrieval of the first and second portions are estimated to meet the required QoS threshold;
• and
• retrieve simultaneously the first portion of the next part of the requested content over the first radio access technology connection and the second portion of the next part of the requested content over the second radio access technology connection.

A communication system including:

• a first radio access network;
• a second radio access network;
• a remote server for providing content, the remote server being communicably coupled to the first and second radio access networks;
• and
• at least one wireless communication device, the at least one wireless communication device including:
• a first radio access interface for communication with the first access network;
• a second radio access interface for communication with the second access network;
• and
• a processing unit configured to:
• in response to receiving a request for retrieval of content from the remote server, retrieve a first part of requested content over a first radio access technology connection and via the first radio access interface and determine if the retrieval of the first part over the first radio access technology connection meets a required Quality of Service, QoS, threshold for the requested content;
• activate the second radio access interface when the retrieval of the first part of the requested content over the first radio access technology connection is determined not to meet the required QoS threshold;
• divide a next part of the requested content to be retrieved into at least a first portion for retrieval over the first radio access technology connection and a second portion for retrieval over a second radio access technology connection and via the second radio access interface, wherein the first and second portions are selected such that retrieval of the first and second portions are estimated to meet the required QoS threshold;
• and
• retrieve simultaneously the first portion of the next part of the requested content over the first radio access technology connection and the second portion of the next part of the requested content over the second radio access technology connection.

A wireless communication device including a first radio access interface for communication with a first access network and a second radio access interface for communication with a second access network, and the wireless communication device comprising:

• a processing unit configured to:
• in response to receiving a request for retrieval of content from a remote server, determine, according to configuration information stored in the wireless communication device, whether the wireless communication device is permitted to retrieve the requested content over multiple radio access interfaces;
• retrieve the requested content simultaneously over the first radio access interface and over the second radio access interface, when the configuration information indicates that requested content can be retrieved over multiple radio access interfaces;
• and
• retrieve the requested content over the first radio access interface only, when the configuration information indicates that the requested content cannot be retrieved over multiple radio access interfaces.

A method for retrieving content by a wireless communication device having a first radio access interface for communication with a first access network and a second radio access interface for communication with a second access network, the method in the wireless communication device comprising:

• receiving a request for retrieval of content from a remote server;
• determining, according to configuration information stored in the wireless communication device, whether the wireless communication device is permitted to retrieve the requested content over multiple radio access interfaces;
• retrieving, by the wireless communication device, the requested content simultaneously over the first radio access interface and over the second radio access interface, when the configuration information indicates that requested content can be retrieved over multiple radio access interfaces;
• and
• retrieving the requested content over the first radio access interface only, when the configuration information indicates that the requested content cannot be retrieved over multiple radio access interfaces.