Patent ID: 8660009

Claim:
A method of a cellular radio communication network including a core network with a node of a core network (CN) coupled to nodes in a radio access network (RAN) associated with a first radio access technology for communicating with mobile radio terminals, each mobile radio terminal having an associated access class for accessing service from the cellular radio communication network, wherein the CN node detects an overload condition and sends an overload message to the RAN nodes that includes information for reducing the overload condition, the method comprising in a RAN node: receiving the overload message; in response to the overload message, determining whether to implement an access class restriction to reduce a first number of mobile radio terminals permitted to access the cellular radio communication network; determining at least one access class of mobile radio terminals to be restricted based on information in the overload message; and arranging for information relating to the at least one restricted access class to be transmitted in an area associated with the RAN node so that mobile radio terminals of a restricted access class are prohibited from accessing the cellular radio communication network; wherein information in the overload message includes an indicator of an amount of access classes to be restricted from accessing the cellular radio communication network.