A communications terminal adapted to be used in a mobile telecommunications network, including: nmeans for communicating via a short-range wireless communications interface in order to identify another device; and nmeans for initiating one or more functions relating to said device in response to said identification process, said functions being performed at least in part by means of a control message sent over a communications link passing into said network, wherein said one or more functions include controlling an SMS bearer service.

The invention relates to a method and a device for accessing a telecommunication network and for billing telecommunication services, whereby there are presented new processes, as compared to those of classical mechanisms of network providers, services are offered to their customers and fees are charged for providing the same. In this context the invention primarily concerns novel access mechanisms and access media to a telecommunications network, modified security mechanisms as well as innovative counting methods. The invention is characterized in that authentication methods are used in the telecommunication network, which permit a subscriber to certify at any one freely choosable point in time that a payment for a service which has been solicited or which is to be solicited, is provided or has already been provided.

The invention relates to telecommunication networks and particularly to mobile networks using Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) transmission systems. The invention also relates to the control of mobility and call control functions in ATM systems. According to the invention, a network element (MSC/BSC) of a telecommunication network, such as a mobile network, which in a conventional telecommunication network architecture ensures the switching of circuit-switched connections, is provided with an ATM switching function. ATM switching functions are controlled with the same call and switching control operations (31) that are conventionally used e.g. for the control of a TDM switching field (32) in a PLMN network element. In a minimum implementation, an ATM switching field (301) provided with a suitable control interface (30) is simply arranged in place of or parallel with the TDM switching field. The switching network element thus becomes an ATM network node of a physical or a logical interface layer. PLMN level signalling, mobility management and call control are implemented using solutions offered by existing mobile networks and current PLMN network elements.

The present invention concerns a method for controlling the transfer of signals representatives of a group of data in a wireless telecommunication network comprising a first telecommunication device linked through plural second telecommunication devices through the wireless network, the first telecommunication device comprising at least two antennas, at least one of the second telecommunication devices comprising at least two antennas. The first telecommunication device calculates at least two information, each information being representative of the achievable link conditions between the first telecommunication device and one second telecommunication device, determines which second telecommunication device is involved in the transfer of the group of data through the link according to the determined information and determines at least a weighting vector to be used for the transfer of the group of data, the elements of the weighting vector weighting the signals representatives of the group of data transferred through at least two antennas.

Apparatus ( 3 ) for receiving data from at least one control or measuring device ( 1 ), comprising, a device interface ( 27 ) for communication of data between the apparatus ( 3 ) and said device ( 1 ), a central processor ( 23 ) for controlling data flow in the apparatus ( 3 ), and an input/output interface ( 29 ) for communicating with an external communications network, whereby information from one or more devices ( 1 ) can be communicated to a central data distribution network ( 9 ).

The present invention relates to the translation of a portion of text to be communicated in a text-based communication in a communications network. A communications device for composing the text-based communication queries a translation service with a portion of text in a first language to obtain a replacement for the portion in a second language. A user may trigger a replacement query by composing the portion using at least one trigger symbol monitored by the communications device. Replacement may be confirmed with the user and at least one alternative replacement sought in response to the confirmation. The communications network may comprise a wireless network and the communications device a wireless mobile communications device.

A method for a radio channel allocation for telecommunication networks, comprising fixed transceivers (BTS) and fixed or mobile radio stations (MS). The method comprises a step of performing channel allocation for a particular radio connection to a radio station based upon signal to interference estimates for the radio station. A system and a base station controller are also disclosed.

A system is described for deriving benefits from the reception and processing of auxiliary data by a hand-held device 12, such as a smart card, personal digital assistant ("PDA"), or mobile phone. Aiming light 24 and/or audio transducer 34 alert the user of hand-held device 12 that auxiliary data is being received. The auxiliary data is then utilized by hand-held device 12. The user receives benefits such as promotional opportunities resulting from the reception of the auxiliary data. Such opportunities are expressed on visual display 20, which may include a series of lights 20a, 20b, 20c, and/or 20d, or an LCD 44. The lights and LCD provide promotional opportunities which may be redeemable and conventional stores or via the Internet. Hand-held devices 12 are outfitted with a PCMCIA interface 70 or wireless Internet access to obtain such promotional activities on the Internet. Hand-held device 12 may have housing 14 in various shapes to promote various promotional opportunities. On front surface 16 of the hand-held device may have indication of a sponsor 17.

The present invention refers to a method for providing a secure message transfer of at least one message from a sender to a receiver within a network system, the method comprising at least the following steps: n- computing on sender-side according to a pre-given scheme a message structure information regarding the at least one message to be sent, n- adding the computed message structure information as message account information into the at least one message to be sent, n- protecting the message account information by a signature, n- transferring the at least one message through the network system to the receiver, and n- validating on receiver-side the message account information immediately after reception of the at least one message according to the pre-given scheme. The present invention further relates to an appropriate network system.

A service that provides playback of media content, that may include advertising content, to a user. The system comprises device, that may be a portable wireless device, where the wireless device has a media drive and an application that reads content from a medium inserted in the media drive. The system further comprises a service that communicates with the wireless device via a wireless network. The service provides control commands to the application program for controlling playback of content from the medium when inserted in the media drive. The service may also provide advertising content to the user based on a user profile. A fee may be paid for the delivery of the content and/or the advertising to the user.