Permitting direct mode communictions for public safety only in certain geographical areas

An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer code for one or more programs, the at least one memory and the computer code configured to with the at least one processor cause the apparatus to at least:

• determine at least one public safety network geographical information comprising a geographical area defined by at least one position and associated distance value, the geographical area corresponding to at least one of:
• an allowed zone and an excluded zone;
• determine a location of the apparatus;
• determine whether the apparatus location is within the geographical area defined by the at least one position and associated distance value;
• and
• in response to the determination that the apparatus is within the geographical area, control the apparatus by permitting the apparatus to operate in a device-to-device mode of operation dependent on at least one of:
• whether the geographical area corresponds to allowed zone, and whether the geographical area corresponds to an excluded zone, wherein, for the case the geographical area defined by the at least one position and associated distance value corresponds to an excluded zone, controlling the apparatus causes the apparatus to disable the apparatus to operate in a device-to-device mode when the apparatus location is within the excluded zone,
• wherein the at least one public safety network geographical information is stored during an apparatus configuration and retrieving the at least one public safety network geographical information from the memory of the apparatus.

A method comprising:

• determining at least one public safety network geographical information comprising a geographical area defined by at least one position and associated distance value, the geographical area corresponding to at least one of:
• an allowed zone and an excluded zone;
• determining a location of an apparatus;
• determining whether the apparatus location is within the geographical area defined by the at least one position and associated distance value;
• and
• in response to determining that the apparatus is within the geographical area, controlling at least one apparatus by permitting the at least one apparatus to operate in a device-to-device mode of operation dependent on at least one of:
• whether the geographical area corresponds to allowed zone, and whether the geographical area corresponds to an excluded zone,
• wherein, for the case the geographical area defined by the at least one position and associated distance value comprises an excluded zone, controlling the apparatus comprises disabling the apparatus to operate in a device-to-device mode when the apparatus location is within the excluded zone,
• wherein the determining at least one public safety network geographical information comprises receiving the at least one public safety network geographical information during a registration of the apparatus on a communications network.