Patent ID: 7587209

Claim:
A method in an SGSN of a GPRS/UMTS network for wireless communications including a mobile node, the SGSN, a GGSN, an HLR, an SMS-G and a SMS-SC, the method comprising: receiving, from the mobile node, an initial UE (attach request) message to establish a signaling link; authenticating the mobile node to determine whether to allow it to attach to the network; informing an HLR that the mobile node is attached; accepting and completing the attach; delaying the tear down of the attached signaling link to keep the mobile node in a connected mode of operation with signaling links present; receiving a short message service message from an SMS gateway (interworking function); delivering the short message service message to the mobile node; and tearing down the attached signaling link to place the mobile node in a standby mode of operation: wherein the step of delaying includes initiating a countdown timer; wherein the delaying step is terminated and the attached signaling link is torn down upon determining that there are no pending SMS messages for the mobile node.