Patent ID: 8169953

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: at least one processor to receive at a mobile station an assignment of multiple carriers for use exclusively for a first link in a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network, to receive at the mobile station an assignment of at least one carrier for use exclusively for a second link in the GSM network, the at least one carrier for the second link being different from the multiple carriers for the first link, and to exchange data by the mobile station with the GSM network via the multiple carriers for the first link and the at least one carrier for the second link, wherein the first link is a downlink and the at least one processor is configured to detect loss of a downlink anchor carrier, send to the GSM network an indication that the downlink anchor carrier is lost, and receive signaling from the GSM network via another one of the multiple carriers for the downlink that is designated as a new downlink anchor carrier; and a memory coupled to the at least one processor.