Patent ID: 8862074

Claim:
A method for operating power amplifiers of base stations in a communications network, the method comprising: assigning each of a plurality of power amplifiers to a corresponding antenna of a base station, such that a first power amplifier is assigned to a first antenna and a second power amplifier is assigned to a second antenna for enabling receiving of information signals in an area of the communications network covered by the corresponding antenna, or for enabling transmitting of information signals in the area of the communications network covered by the corresponding antenna, or for enabling both receiving and transmitting of information signals in the area of the communications network covered by the corresponding antenna; switching off one or more of the plurality of power amplifiers so that at least one power amplifier of the base station is left on, in response to a level of load in the communications network being detected as low; and switching an output signal of the at least one power amplifier which has been left on from the first antenna to the second antenna, wherein the second antenna was assigned to the one or more power amplifiers that were switched off.