Allocating resources and transmitting data in mobile telecommunication systems comprising machine type communication applications

A wireless telecommunications system for communicating data between a plurality of base stations and a plurality of terminal devices using a plurality of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex, OFDM, sub-carriers spanning a first frequency bandwidth, the system comprising:

• a first base station configured to communicate user-plane data with a first terminal device using a first group of the OFDM sub-carriers distributed across the first frequency bandwidth;
• and
• a second base station configured to communicate user-plane data with a second terminal device using a second group of the OFDM sub-carriers distributed across a second frequency bandwidth, wherein the second frequency bandwidth is smaller than and within the first frequency bandwidth, and wherein the first base station is configured to communicate control-plane data with the first terminal device using a combination of the first and second groups of the OFDM sub-carriers.

A method of operating a base station for communicating data between the base station and a plurality of terminal devices in a wireless telecommunications system using a plurality of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex, OFDM, sub-carriers spanning a first frequency bandwidth, the method comprising:

• communicating user-plane data with the plurality of terminal devices using a group of the OFDM sub-carriers distributed across a second frequency bandwidth which is smaller than and within the first frequency bandwidth;
• and
• communicating no user-plane data with the plurality of terminal devices using OFDM sub-carriers outside the group of the OFDM sub-carriers distributed across the second frequency bandwidth.

A base station for communicating data with a plurality of terminal devices in a wireless telecommunications system using a plurality of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex, OFDM, sub-carriers spanning a first frequency bandwidth, wherein the base station is configured to:

• communicate user-plane data with the plurality of terminal devices using a group of the OFDM sub-carriers distributed across a second frequency bandwidth, wherein the second frequency bandwidth is smaller than and within the first frequency bandwidth;
• and
• communicate no user-plane data with the plurality of terminal devices using OFDM sub-carriers outside the group of the OFDM sub-carriers distributed across the second frequency bandwidth.

A method of operating a terminal device for communicating data in a wireless telecommunications system comprising a first base station and a second base station, wherein the first base station supports communications using a plurality of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex, OFDM, sub-carriers spanning a first frequency bandwidth, the method comprising:

• communicating user-plane data between the second base station and the terminal device using a group of the OFDM sub-carriers distributed across a second frequency bandwidth, wherein the second frequency bandwidth is smaller than and within the first frequency bandwidth;
• and
• communicating no user-plane data between the terminal device and the second base station using OFDM sub-carriers outside the group of the OFDM sub-carriers distributed across the second frequency bandwidth.

A terminal device for communicating data in a wireless telecommunications system comprising a first base station and a second base station, wherein the first base station supports communications using a plurality of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex, OFDM, sub-carriers spanning a first frequency bandwidth, wherein the terminal device is configured to:

• communicate user-plane data between the second base station and the terminal device using a group of the OFDM sub-carriers distributed across a second frequency bandwidth, wherein the second frequency bandwidth is smaller than and within the first frequency bandwidth;
• and
• communicate no user-plane data between the terminal device and the second base station using OFDM sub-carriers outside the group of the OFDM sub-carriers distributed across the second frequency bandwidth.