Intelligent re-provisioning of base stations for circuit-switched fallback

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• performing an initial scan of one or more channels that are included on a predetermined channel list;
• at a first access network that is configured for communications under a first protocol, receiving a first message that indicates one or more detected channels that were detected by a user entity (UE) during a scan for service under a second protocol, wherein each detected channel is available to the UE for communication with a second access network under the second protocol, and wherein the first access network is operable to provide the UE with circuit-switched fallback (CSFB) service from the first access network to the second access network;
• determining that at least a first detected channel is an unlisted channel that is not included on the predetermined channel list;
• responsively sending a channel-update message to the second access network, wherein the channel-update message indicates to the second access network to temporarily re-provision a femtocell that operates on the first detected channel to instead operate on a second channel that is detectable for addition to the predetermined channel list;
• and
• after sending the channel-update message, performing a subsequent scan of the predetermined channel, such that the second channel served by the femtocells is detectable during the subsequent scan.

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• a second access network initially causing a femtocell of the second access network to operate on a first channel, wherein the second access network provides service under a second protocol, wherein the first channel is an unlisted channel that is not included on a predetermined channel list, and wherein the first channel is identified as an unlisted channel by a user entity (UE) after detecting the first channel during an initial scan to detect one or more channels that are available for communication under the second protocol, and wherein the first access network is operable to provide the UE with circuit-switched fallback (CSFB) service from the first access network to the second access network;
• the second access network receiving a channel-update message from a first access network, wherein the channel-update message indicates that the second access network should temporarily re-provision the femtocell to operate on a listed channel that is included on the predetermined channel list;
• and
• responsively initiating a process to cause the femtocell to temporarily operate on a listed channel that is detectable for addition to the predetermined channel list during a subsequent scan of the one or more channels on the predetermined channel list.