Patent ID: 8724588

Claim:
A method, comprising: receiving, by a first eNodeB device and from a first mobility management entity (MME) device, an indication that a user device, located within a region, is to be handed off from a second eNodeB device to the first eNodeB device, where the region includes a geographic area where coverage from the first eNodeB device overlaps coverage from the second eNodeB device, and where the first MME device is associated with a first pool of MME devices that are located within a first traffic area; communicating with the first MME device, by the first eNodeB device and as a result of receiving the indication, that enables the user device to be handed off in a manner that maintains a communication session associated with the user device; receiving, by the first eNodeB device and from the user device, traffic associated with the communication session as a result of the user device being handed off in the manner that maintains the communication session; determining, by the first eNodeB device, that the user device is leaving the region and entering a second traffic area in which a second pool of MME devices are located; and communicating, by the first eNodeB device, with a second MME device, associated with the second pool of MME devices, to maintain the session with the user device based on the determination that the user device is leaving the region and entering the second traffic area.