Patent ID: 8761163

Claim:
A method, comprising: identifying a plurality of nodes in a network, wherein each of the plurality of nodes comprises an evolved node B (eNodeB); selecting at least some of the nodes as potential hub nodes; determining, for each of the selected potential hub nodes, a first bandwidth needed to forward traffic from the potential hub node to a first mobile switching office; determining, for each of the selected potential hub nodes, bandwidths needed to forward traffic from the potential hub node to other ones of the plurality of nodes; calculating, for each of the potential hub nodes, at least one of costs or latencies associated with forwarding traffic from the potential hub node to the first mobile switching office and to other ones of the nodes; selecting a hub node from the potential hub nodes based on the calculated at least one of costs or latencies; configuring the plurality of nodes, other than the hub node, to forward received communications to the hub node; receiving, by the hub node, a first communication from one of the plurality of nodes; accessing a database identifying a plurality of eNodeBs, by the hub node, to determine whether a destination eNodeB associated with the first communication is identified in the database; forwarding, by the hub node, the first communication to an other one of the plurality of nodes without forwarding the first communication via the first mobile switching office, in response to determining that the destination eNodeB associated with the first communication is identified in the database; identifying a second mobile switching office; determining, for each of the selected potential hub nodes, a second bandwidth needed to forward traffic from the potential hub node to the second mobile switching office; comparing, for each of the potential hub nodes, at least one of costs or latencies associated with forwarding traffic from the potential hub node to the first mobile switching office to at least one of second cost or latencies associated with forwarding traffic from the potential hub node to the second mobile switching office; selecting a second hub node based on the at least one of costs or latencies and second costs or latencies; and selecting one of the first or second mobile switching offices to which the second hub node will forward communications based on the comparing.