Patent ID: 7912035

Claim:
A method for communicating a plurality of packets along a bearer path, comprising: assigning a home network address from a local address pool to an access terminal, the home network address allowing the access terminal to access a home anchored bearer path anchored at a home network of the access terminal, the home anchored bearer path including a home bearer manager and a visited bearer manager; assigning a visited network address from a visited address pool to the access terminal, the visited network address allowing the access terminal to access a visited anchored bearer path anchored at a visited network, the visited anchored bearer path distinct from the home anchored bearer path and including the visited bearer manager; providing both the home network address and the visited network address to the access terminal; providing one or more routing rules to the access terminal, a routing rule instructing the access terminal when to use the home anchored bearer path and when to use the visitor anchored bearer path, at least one routing rule of the one or more routing rules instructing the access terminal to: route signaling using the home anchored bearer path; and route media using the visitor anchored bearer path if the visitor anchored bearer path provides sufficient security and using the home anchored bearer path if the visitor anchored bearer path provides insufficient security; receiving the plurality of packets from the access terminal, the access terminal sending packets using the home network address to direct packets along the home anchored bearer path or the visited network address to direct packets along the visited anchored bearer path according to the routing rules; communicating the plurality of packets along the home anchored bearer path if the plurality of packets use the home network address; and communicating the plurality of packets along the visited anchored bearer path if the plurality of packets use the visited network address.