Patent ID: 8300602

Claim:
A packet data support node, in a telecommunications network, for handling a handover procedure in a first radio access network using direct tunneling of user plane data between a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) and the packet data support node, the packet data support node comprising: a microprocessor coupled with a non-transitory memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the packet data support node to: detect an intended or initiated handover of a mobile user station from the first radio access network to a target radio access network node of a second radio access network; send a message to a first Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) in the first radio access network node indicating a relocation is required, wherein the first SGSN forwards the message to a second SGSN in the second radio access network; cause the second SGSN to send a forward relocation response to the first SGSN, wherein the first SGSN sends an update Packet Data Protocol (PDP) context request to the GGSN; reset and replace a direct tunnel between the GGSN and a Radio Network Controller (RNC) with a first tunnel between the GGSN and the first SGSN and a second tunnel between the first SGSN and the RNC; redirect the user plane data in the first radio access network from the GGSN to the RNC via the first tunnel and the second tunnel; and send the user plane data from the first SGSN to the second SGSN via a third tunnel, wherein the user plane data is then forwarded to the target radio access node.