Wireless relay backhaul selection in a data communication network

A wireless relay to control backhaul in a data communication network, the wireless relay comprising:

• relay user equipment configured to wirelessly attach to a wireless base station coupled to a data network core and receive a first backhaul connection from a relay base station through the wireless base station to the data network core;
• an Ethernet switch configured to attach to a network gateway coupled to the data network core and establish a second backhaul connection from the relay base station through the network gateway to the data network core;
• the relay base station configured to receive status data for the first backhaul connection through the wireless base station;
• and
• the relay base station configured to exchange wireless user data with served user equipment, select one of the backhaul connections for the user data based on the status data of the first backhaul connection through the wireless base station, and exchange the user data with the data network core over the selected one of the backhaul connections.