The technology described automatically resolves cell identity collisions/conflicts in a cellular radio communications network. A detecting node determines that a first cell identifier associated with a first conflicting cell is the same as a second cell identifier associated with a second conflicting cell. One of the first and second conflicting cells is selected to change its cell identifier. A different cell identifier is determined for the selected cell. The different cell identifier is then provided to other cells and preferably to user equipment (UE) terminals without disrupting ongoing UE communications.