The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for controlling a
communications system that includes a
mobile wireless device, a first and a second
base station and a
radio network controller. The
communications system may allocate frequency bands to users on a multiplicity of channels associated with a multi-layer
access network across at least two cells communicatively coupled to a first and a second
base station, respectively. The method comprises monitoring a radio emission parameter associated with the first and second base stations that communicate with the
mobile wireless device. A radio emission parameter associated with the first and second base stations, such as
signal strength or quality, is monitored, to select a target
cell among a set of candidate cells for the
mobile wireless device and to transfer the mobile
wireless device from a first
frequency band to a second
frequency band. For example,
radio resource management algorithms may cause emission-controlled
cell selection and inter-frequency
handover from a first
frequency band to a second frequency band with a transmit
power level lower than that of the first frequency band. In accordance with one aspect of the instant application, electromagnetic
exposure to a user of the mobile
wireless device is substantially decreased, resulting in lower energy costs and reduced environmental impacts.