CELL-BLOCKING METHODS AND APPARATUS IN CELLULAR COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS

In a cellular communications network including user equipment and an access network, a cell-blocking method involves designating a cell in the network that is to be blocked and activating a cell-blocking operating mode of a node of the access network of the cellular communications network. According to the cell-blocking method, upon activation of the cell-blocking mode of the access-network node, active calls in the designated cell are detected and disconnected. The disconnection of active calls may be performed selectively based on an access class or establishment cause associated with the call. The cell-blocking may be hidden because the access-network node may not broadcast any data that is indicative of cell-blocking and, when a user equipment in the affected cell attempts to set-up a call, the access-network node may reject the call using an admission control mechanism or may send back a spoofed message from the core network.