Patent ID: 8626215

Claim:
A radio network controller assembly configured to control a plurality of base stations, each base station controlling at least one radio cell, the radio network controller assembly comprising: a plurality of unit radio network controllers, each unit radio network controller comprising: a set of external interfaces configured for interaction with a core network, at least one base station, and at least one radio network controller; and a set of internal interfaces, distinct from the set of external interfaces, the set of internal interfaces configured at least for interaction with peer unit radio network controllers also comprised in the radio network controller assembly; a database configured to store configuration data comprising mappings of each base station and one respectively associated unit radio network controller; wherein the radio network controller assembly is configured to use said sets of external interfaces for communication with the plurality of base stations, the core network, and radio network controllers external to the radio network controller assembly; and external interfaces identical to those of an independent radio network controller; wherein one of the unit radio network controllers is a singleton device which owns a Signalling System #7 interface for the radio network controller assembly which is to be performed by only one unit radio network controller in relation to the core network.