A mobile telecommunications network including a core and a radio access network having a plurality of radio units (906A-F) for wireless communication with mobile terminals registered with the mobile telecommunications network, wherein the radio access network includes a plurality of control units, each control unit being associated with one or more of the radio units (906A-F) for providing resource capabilities for use by the radio units (906A-F), and wherein the mobile telecommunications network further includes a controller coupled to the control units for accessing the resource capabilities thereof and operable to make available to one or more resource consuming entities a pool of resources which are derived from the resource capabilities of the control units, characterised in that: the controller includes means operable to determine a portion of the resource capabilities of each of the control units that is surplus to the requirements of the radio units (906A-F) associated therewith and for making that portion of the resource capabilities available in the pool of resources, the portion of the resource capabilities made available in the pool of resources allows the resource capabilities to be used for purposes other than the requirements of the radio units (906A-F), and each resource consuming entity comprises a service provider and one or more end users of that service, the service provider hosting its services in the pool of resources so that it is able to allow the service end users to consume the services provided by the service provider but hosted by the pool of resources. wherein the radio access network includes a plurality of control units, each control unit being associated with one or more of the radio units (906A-F) for providing resource capabilities for use by the radio units (906A-F), and wherein the mobile telecommunications network further includes a controller coupled to the control units for accessing the resource capabilities thereof and operable to make available to one or more resource consuming entities a pool of resources which are derived from the resource capabilities of the control units, characterised in that: the controller includes means operable to determine a portion of the resource capabilities of each of the control units that is surplus to the requirements of the radio units (906A-F) associated therewith and for making that portion of the resource capabilities available in the pool of resources, the portion of the resource capabilities made available in the pool of resources allows the resource capabilities to be used for purposes other than the requirements of the radio units (906A-F), and each resource consuming entity comprises a service provider and one or more end users of that service, the service provider hosting its services in the pool of resources so that it is able to allow the service end users to consume the services provided by the service provider but hosted by the pool of resources. the controller includes means operable to determine a portion of the resource capabilities of each of the control units that is surplus to the requirements of the radio units (906A-F) associated therewith and for making that portion of the resource capabilities available in the pool of resources, the portion of the resource capabilities made available in the pool of resources allows the resource capabilities to be used for purposes other than the requirements of the radio units (906A-F), and each resource consuming entity comprises a service provider and one or more end users of that service, the service provider hosting its services in the pool of resources so that it is able to allow the service end users to consume the services provided by the service provider but hosted by the pool of resources.