Patent ID: 8665716
Filing Date: 2014-03-04
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. Apparatus for enabling circuit-switched services, the apparatus comprising: a processing system arranged to cause the apparatus at least: to cause transmission of a first mobility management message from user equipment to a core network that includes a packet-switched domain and a circuit-switched domain, such that a said first mobility management message is transmitted to a component of said packet-switched domain, the user equipment being arranged to receive a rejection message from said packet-switched domain component in response to the first mobility management message, the rejection message indicating congestion as a cause for rejection of the first mobility management message, and indicating whether circuit-switched services are permitted during running of a back-off timer; and to cause the back-off timer to run in response to receipt of the rejection message, the back-off timer indicating a time during which the user equipment defers transmission of any further mobility management messages to the packet-switched domain component; wherein the indication in the rejection message that circuit-switched services are permitted enables the apparatus to cause transmission of a second mobility management message from the user equipment to a component of the circuit-switched domain, while the back-off timer is running.