Method, apparatus and computer program product for transfer of capability support information in a multi-rat environment

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer program code which when executed by at least one processor causes operations comprising:

• receiving an indication of a request for inter-radio access technology capability information of a mobile terminal, wherein the inter-radio access technology capability information is specific to a particular radio access technology not currently involved in an inter-radio access technology handover between a source radio access network and a target radio network, wherein the indication is carried by at least a handover complete message indicating the inter-radio access technology information is requested;
• acquiring, in response to the received indication, the inter-radio access technology capability information;
• and
• providing the acquired inter-radio access technology capability information to a target base station.

An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least perform the following:

• receive an indication of a request for inter-radio access technology capability information of a mobile terminal, wherein the inter-radio access technology capability information is specific to a particular radio access technology not currently involved in an inter-radio access technology handover between a source radio access network and a target radio access network, wherein the indication is carried by at least a handover complete message indicating the inter-radio access technology information is requested;
• acquire, in response to the received indication, the inter-radio access technology capability information;
• and
• provide, the acquired inter-radio access technology capability information to a target base station.

A method comprising:

• receiving an indication of a request for a handover;
• determining whether inter-radio access technology capability information of a mobile terminal is available for a plurality of potentially supportable radio access technologies not involved in the current handover between a source radio access network and a target radio access network;
• and
• providing a message with an indicator bit indicative of a request for inter-radio access technology capability information for a particular radio access technology of the potentially supportable radio access technologies, wherein the message comprises a handover complete message indicating the inter-radio access technology information is requested.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer program code which when executed by at least one processor causes operations comprising:

• receiving an indication of a request for a handover;
• determining whether inter-radio access technology capability information of a mobile terminal is available or needs to be acquired for a plurality of potentially supportable radio access technologies not involved in the current handover between a source radio access network and a target radio access network;
• and
• providing a message with an indicator bit indicative of a request for inter-radio access technology capability information for a particular radio access technology of the potentially supportable radio access technologies, wherein the message comprises a handover complete message indicating the inter-radio access technology information is requested.

An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least perform the following:

• receive an indication of a request for a handover;
• determine whether inter-radio access technology capability information of a mobile terminal is available or needs to be acquired for a plurality of potentially supportable radio access technologies not involved in the current handover between a source radio access network and a target radio access network;
• and
• provide a message with an indicator bit indicative of a request for inter-radio access technology capability information for a particular radio access technology of the potentially supportable radio access technologies, wherein the message comprises a handover complete message indicating the inter-radio access technology information is requested.