Patent ID: 8676265

Claim:
An access point, for use in a cellular communications network and an Internet protocol (IP) network, comprising: a cellular interface, for communication with a wireless user equipment (UE) device using a cellular radio communications protocol; an IP interface for connection to at least one IP network via an IP gateway, wherein the access point is configured to send data over the at least one IP network to a core network of the cellular communications network, and wherein the access point is also configured to send data to the at least one IP network without using the core network; a termination function, provided in a Radio Link Control/Medium Access Control protocol layer, wherein the access point is configured to decipher messages received from a user equipment device over the cellular interface; and a packet routing function, wherein the access point is configured to determine, based on access to data packets in the deciphered messages, whether to send traffic received from a user equipment device to its destination over the core network of the cellular communications network or to its destination without using the core network.