Patent ID: 8849346

Claim:
A method for deactivation of at least one first cell of a plurality of cells in a telecommunications network, the plurality of cells defining a coverage area containing a plurality of user devices, the method comprising: triggering at least one user device of the plurality of user devices in the at least one first cell to report measurement information regarding one or more second cells of the plurality of cells to the telecommunications network; receiving and analyzing the measurement information regarding the one or more second cells to determine whether the at least one user device of the plurality of user devices in the at least one first cell is eligible for being served by a second cell of the one or more second cells when the at least one first cell would be deactivated; and deactivating the at least one first cell when the at least one user device is determined to be eligible for being served by the second cell of the one or more second cells, wherein analyzing the measurement information regarding the one or more second cells includes verifying whether an estimate of the quality of service obtained in the second cell meets a quality of service condition, and wherein verifying whether an estimate of the quality of service obtained in the second cell meets a quality of service condition comprises: obtaining, from the at least one user device of the plurality of user devices in the at least one first cell pilot measurement information comprising at least one of pilot signal strength or pilot quality measurement information related to the one or more second cells; assessing the pilot measurement information to assign the pilot measurement information for at least one particular user device of the plurality of user devices to a particular second cell of the one or more second cells; and verifying whether the particular second cell is capable of satisfying a required quality of service for the at least one particular user device of the plurality of user devices when the first cell is deactivated.