Patent ID: 7587477

Claim:
Method in a packet switched cellular network including at least one pool of first service nodes operative to serve terminals in a first service area and at least one second service node not included in the pool of said first service nodes, wherein each terminal within said first service area is allocated a temporary identity from an identity range unique for said pool of first service nodes, said method comprising the steps of: a) in response to a new service node associated with said at least one second service node receiving a first request message from one of the terminals previously served by an old service node associated with the pool of said first service nodes, when said terminal roams from said first service area into an area serviced by said second service node, sending a second request message from the new service node to a default service node also associated with the pool of said first service nodes, said second request message including said temporary identity of the terminal allocated by the old service node; b) in the default service node, identifying the old service node by means of the temporary identity included in the received second request message; c) adding, by said default service node, an address of the new serving node to the second request message and relaying it to the old service node; and, d) in the old service node, returning a response message directly to the new service node by addressing the response message to the address of the new service node added by the default service node to the received second request message.