Patent ID: 7146177

Claim:
A radio access network for a mobile radio communications system, comprising: a multiplicity of first nodes, each allocated to a subarea of a geographical area covered by the radio access network, the first nodes to exchange useful data between terminals located in their respective subarea and a primary network; and at least one second node having a plurality of functional units, designated as signaling functionalities, each functional unit to exchange signaling data with one terminal, the second node being connected to a plurality of first nodes to exchange signaling data with a terminal via the respective first node with which the terminal exchanges useful data, wherein the first nodes have a multiplicity of transport functionalities, each transport functionality being assigned to a terminal to exchange the useful data with the terminal, and each of the signaling functionalities are assigned an address to exchange signaling data, each of the transport functionalities are assigned an address to exchange useful data, the address to exchange useful data and the address to exchange signaling data being different for the same terminal.