LOW POWER MODES FOR FEMTO CELLS

The invention relates to a method for facilitating deployment of a low power mode in an access point, AP, base station (600), comprising: determining (606) whether each of at least one access terminal, AT, in at least one defined coverage area is in an idle state; in response to each of the at least one AT being in the idle state, entering (608) the low power mode; and when in the low power mode, varying (610) a transmission power at which the AP base station transmits at least one common channel as a function of time, while maintaining the transmission power at a nominal level with adequate frequency to allow one or more new ATs to detect the AP base station and/or connect to the AP base station and ensuring alignment between the awake period of one or more associated ATs and periods when the transmission power of the AP base station is at the nominal level.