A mobile communications access node for providing a communications connection between a user terminal and a network, the access node having: a handover processor for processing handover requests, the handover processor being configured to detect a signal, received from another access node associated with a first handover control system , to hand over a connection with a user terminal , and to forward the request to a second handover control system associated with the mobile communications access node, a data transmitter to transmit data, received from the other access node, to the user terminal and a data receiver to receive data destined for the user terminal from the other access node wherein the handover processor being configured to generate a path switch request flagged to indicate to the second handover control system that the handover processor is capable of co-operation with another access node to effect a handover and a monitor to identify the presence of a flag in a handover request, the flag identifying the access node transmitting the request and identifying a first handover control system with that access node, and indicative that the first handover control system is capable of co-operation with handover control systems of a class to which the second handover system belongs to effect a handover, the handover processor being responsive to handover requests according to the presence or absence of the flag, such that if the flag is not present it causes data destined for the user terminal to be redirected to a gateway for forwarding to a redirection address subsequent to completion of a handover, if the flag is present it causes data to be forwarded to the access node identified by the flag. a handover processor for processing handover requests, the handover processor being configured to detect a signal, received from another access node associated with a first handover control system , to hand over a connection with a user terminal , and to forward the request to a second handover control system associated with the mobile communications access node, a data transmitter to transmit data, received from the other access node, to the user terminal and a data receiver to receive data destined for the user terminal from the other access node wherein the handover processor being configured to generate a path switch request flagged to indicate to the second handover control system that the handover processor is capable of co-operation with another access node to effect a handover and a monitor to identify the presence of a flag in a handover request, the flag identifying the access node transmitting the request and identifying a first handover control system with that access node, and indicative that the first handover control system is capable of co-operation with handover control systems of a class to which the second handover system belongs to effect a handover, the handover processor being responsive to handover requests according to the presence or absence of the flag, such that if the flag is not present it causes data destined for the user terminal to be redirected to a gateway for forwarding to a redirection address subsequent to completion of a handover, if the flag is present it causes data to be forwarded to the access node identified by the flag. if the flag is not present it causes data destined for the user terminal to be redirected to a gateway for forwarding to a redirection address subsequent to completion of a handover, if the flag is present it causes data to be forwarded to the access node identified by the flag. <EOS>