An ad hoc telecommunications network comprises a plurality of mobile devices, cached data being distributed amongst the devices. A manager device is elected for example based on highest compared received signal strength amongst the devices to manage the distributed data. The manager election can by dynamically up-dated to compensate for changes in the network parameter for example devices entering or leaving the network, or physical relocation of the devices within the network. In addition, the ad hoc network can communicate with a fixed infrastructure, the fixed infrastructure maintaining a table identifying a gateway device for direct communication with the fixed infrastructure, allowing communication with a mobile device within the ad hoc network. Yet further the ad hoc network can provide a communications route between two remote fixed infrastructures.