Patent ID: 6952412

Claim:
Access network for mobile terminals comprising: a switch (VCX) arranged to be linked to at least one external network and to a local access network (RLA), said local access network (RLA) being connected to a plurality of radio base stations (BR), each radio base station being arranged to enter into communication with mobile terminals (MT), each mobile terminal (MT) being arranged for receiving or sending user cells on a virtual channel identifiable by a fixed virtual path identifier and a virtual circuit identifier allocated to said virtual path identifier at the time a call is established, and signaling cells on a virtual channel identifiable by a virtual path identifier and a fixed virtual circuit identifier, the switch (VCX) being arranged to allocate, to each of a group of user channels, a virtual path identifier and a virtual circuit identifier and, to each of a group of signaling channels, a virtual path identifier equal to the virtual path identifier of the user channel and a fixed virtual circuit identifier, the local access network (RLA) being arranged to transport the user cells, the signaling cells in channels having predetermined virtual path identifiers, and the mobile terminal (MT) and the local access network being arranged so that in response to the mobile terminal entering into the coverage of said local access network, a signaling channel is formed between said terminal (MT) and said switch (VCX), the switch (VCX) being arranged for determining a virtual path identifier (VPIu) which, associated with the predetermined signaling virtual circuit identifier, is arranged for identifying said signaling channel at the switch (VCX), and the local access network (RLA) being arranged for determining a virtual circuit identifier (VCI-sig), which, associated with the signaling virtual path identifier, is arranged for identifying, at said local access network (RLA), said signaling channel, and at the time a communication is established, the switch (VCX) is arranged to allocate, to the user channel providing the transport of the user cells of said communication, a virtual circuit identifier (VCI dat) which is associated, at the switch (VCX), with the virtual path identifier (VPIu) already allocated to the signaling channel, at the local access network (RLA), with the virtual path identifier for the transport of the user cells, and, at the terminal, with the predetermined virtual path identifier.