An apparatus for assigning a plurality of access nodes of a wireless communication network to control areas, the apparatus comprising: a processing apparatus; wherein the processing apparatus is configured to: assign each access node in the plurality of access nodes to a control area of a plurality of control areas; determine a first control phase, wherein a control phase comprises a period of time during which the assignment of access nodes to control areas remains constant; and when changing from the first control phase to a following second control phase, reassign at least a subset of access nodes which were assigned during the first control phase to a first control area to a second control area of the plurality of control areas and reassign at least a subset of access nodes which were assigned during the first control phase to a third control area of the plurality of control areas to the first control area; wherein the processing apparatus is configured to reassign the control areas such that an access node that is adjacent an edge of the first control area during the first control phase is not adjacent an edge of the first control area during the following second control phase; wherein the processing apparatus is configured to instruct access nodes assigned to a same control area to perform coordinated multi-point transmission or reception or multi-input multi-output type transmissions. a processing apparatus; wherein the processing apparatus is configured to: assign each access node in the plurality of access nodes to a control area of a plurality of control areas; determine a first control phase, wherein a control phase comprises a period of time during which the assignment of access nodes to control areas remains constant; and when changing from the first control phase to a following second control phase, reassign at least a subset of access nodes which were assigned during the first control phase to a first control area to a second control area of the plurality of control areas and reassign at least a subset of access nodes which were assigned during the first control phase to a third control area of the plurality of control areas to the first control area; wherein the processing apparatus is configured to reassign the control areas such that an access node that is adjacent an edge of the first control area during the first control phase is not adjacent an edge of the first control area during the following second control phase; wherein the processing apparatus is configured to instruct access nodes assigned to a same control area to perform coordinated multi-point transmission or reception or multi-input multi-output type transmissions. assign each access node in the plurality of access nodes to a control area of a plurality of control areas; determine a first control phase, wherein a control phase comprises a period of time during which the assignment of access nodes to control areas remains constant; and when changing from the first control phase to a following second control phase, reassign at least a subset of access nodes which were assigned during the first control phase to a first control area to a second control area of the plurality of control areas and reassign at least a subset of access nodes which were assigned during the first control phase to a third control area of the plurality of control areas to the first control area; wherein the processing apparatus is configured to reassign the control areas such that an access node that is adjacent an edge of the first control area during the first control phase is not adjacent an edge of the first control area during the following second control phase; wherein the processing apparatus is configured to instruct access nodes assigned to a same control area to perform coordinated multi-point transmission or reception or multi-input multi-output type transmissions.