Communicatively coupling WLAN and femtocell networks utilizing a femtocell-to-WLAN network bridge and controller

An apparatus for networking, comprising:

• a first controller, coupled to an end-user device via a first connection, configured to:
• accommodate a first communications protocol;
• send network load information indicative of network load conditions on the first connection to a network bridge and controller;
• and
• a second controller, coupled to the network bridge and controller, configured to:
• accommodate a second communications protocol in response to a control signal to balance the network load conditions,
• wherein the network bridge controller is configured to:
• determine a handoff procedure to balance network traffic between the first controller and the second controller, and
• execute the handoff procedure to balance the network traffic.

An apparatus for networking, comprising:

• a network bridge and controller;
• a first controller, coupled to the network bridge and controller and a femtocell, configured to receive a datastream from an end-user device via a first connection and to accommodate a first communications protocol;
• and
• a second controller, coupled to the network bridge and controller, configured to accommodate a second communications protocol, the second controller being further coupled to the end-user device via a second connection:
• wherein the first controller is further configured to send network load information indicative of network load conditions on the first connection to the network bridge and controller;
• and
• wherein the network bridge and controller is configured to:
• determine a handoff procedure to balance the datastream between the first controller and the second controller based on the network load information, and
• execute the handoff procedure to balance the datastream between the first controller and the second controller.