An embodiment is directed towards a network controller for controlling a telecommunications network (70) comprising a plurality of vehicles (250, 280, 330) each including a telecommunications device. The network controller comprises a network configuration database (20), containing data representing the configuration of the network (70); an assets database (30), containing for each vehicle (250, 280, 330) (i) data representing planned movements of the vehicle (250, 280, 330) and (ii) data representing parameters for acceptable variation in said route (260, 290, 350); and an information exchange requirement (IER) database (40), containing data representing expected future network loading. An optimization engine (50) is configured to calculate a set of routes (260, 310, 350) for the vehicles (250, 280, 330) that optimizes the availability of the telecommunications network (70) in the geographic area.