Patent ID: 8144645

Claim:
A method of controlling the routing of a data packet sent from a first node towards a second node of an Internet Protocol (IP)-based telecommunication network, the first node being a mobile node having an associated home network that is different from the IP-based telecommunication network, the method comprising performing the following steps in a first access router of the home network or in a second access router of a visited network depending on whether the first node is operating in the home network or has roamed outside of its home network into the visited network, respectively: storing a predetermined routing policy received from the home network to control routing of the data packet from the first node to the second node; intercepting the data packet; determining if the packet relates to a first mode of communication between the first and second nodes in which data packets bypass a home agent associated with the first node's home network, through which home agent packets would pass in a second mode of communication between the first and second nodes different from the first mode; and dropping the packet if it is determined that the packet relates to the first mode and if dropping of the packet is determined to be in accordance with the predetermined routing policy.