A method for enabling device-to-device 'D2D' communication in a wireless network, the method comprising: receiving a traffic flow optimization message at a first transmission node in the wireless network from a detection function 'DF' module; and transmitting a D2D setup message from the first transmission node to establish a D2D link, wherein the D2D link bypasses a serving gateway for the wireless network and provides communication between a first wireless device and a second wireless device, wherein transmitting the D2D setup message from the first transmission node to establish the D2D link: establishes a backhaul link between the first transmission node and a second transmission node in the wireless network, wherein the D2D link includes the backhaul link; establishes direct communication between the first transmission node and a second transmission node via the backhaul link, thereby bypassing the serving gateway 'SGW' for the D2D communication, wherein the first wireless device is in communication with the first transmission node, and the second wireless device is in communication with the second transmission node, wherein the method further comprises: receiving a direct mode S1-application protocol 'S1-AP' trigger message; and transmitting a direct mode radio resource control 'RRC' trigger message from the first transmission node to the first wireless device, wherein the direct mode RRC trigger message instructs the first wireless device to establish a direct D2D link between the first wireless device and the second wireless device bypassing the serving gateway 'SGW' and the first transmission node for the D2D communication. receiving a traffic flow optimization message at a first transmission node in the wireless network from a detection function 'DF' module; and transmitting a D2D setup message from the first transmission node to establish a D2D link, wherein the D2D link bypasses a serving gateway for the wireless network and provides communication between a first wireless device and a second wireless device, wherein transmitting the D2D setup message from the first transmission node to establish the D2D link: establishes a backhaul link between the first transmission node and a second transmission node in the wireless network, wherein the D2D link includes the backhaul link; establishes direct communication between the first transmission node and a second transmission node via the backhaul link, thereby bypassing the serving gateway 'SGW' for the D2D communication, wherein the first wireless device is in communication with the first transmission node, and the second wireless device is in communication with the second transmission node, wherein the method further comprises: receiving a direct mode S1-application protocol 'S1-AP' trigger message; and transmitting a direct mode radio resource control 'RRC' trigger message from the first transmission node to the first wireless device, wherein the direct mode RRC trigger message instructs the first wireless device to establish a direct D2D link between the first wireless device and the second wireless device bypassing the serving gateway 'SGW' and the first transmission node for the D2D communication. establishes a backhaul link between the first transmission node and a second transmission node in the wireless network, wherein the D2D link includes the backhaul link; establishes direct communication between the first transmission node and a second transmission node via the backhaul link, thereby bypassing the serving gateway 'SGW' for the D2D communication, wherein the first wireless device is in communication with the first transmission node, and the second wireless device is in communication with the second transmission node, wherein the method further comprises: receiving a direct mode S1-application protocol 'S1-AP' trigger message; and transmitting a direct mode radio resource control 'RRC' trigger message from the first transmission node to the first wireless device, wherein the direct mode RRC trigger message instructs the first wireless device to establish a direct D2D link between the first wireless device and the second wireless device bypassing the serving gateway 'SGW' and the first transmission node for the D2D communication. receiving a direct mode S1-application protocol 'S1-AP' trigger message; and transmitting a direct mode radio resource control 'RRC' trigger message from the first transmission node to the first wireless device, wherein the direct mode RRC trigger message instructs the first wireless device to establish a direct D2D link between the first wireless device and the second wireless device bypassing the serving gateway 'SGW' and the first transmission node for the D2D communication.