Patent ID: 8179811

Claim:
A method of selecting a data attachment point (DAP) for a wireless access network (AN), comprising: establishing a resource cost for at least two wireless access points (AP) of the wireless AN with respect to an Access Gateway (AGW); comparing a resource cost of a serving AP, the serving AP coupled to an access terminal (AT) to provide wireless communication between the AT and one or more networks, to a resource cost of a current or default DAP, the current or default DAP being an AP to which the AGW routes downlink data packets for the AT and that tunnels the downlink data packets to the serving AP; maintaining the current or default DAP when the serving AP resource cost is higher than the DAP resource cost; and establishing the serving AP as the DAP when the serving AP resource cost is lower than the DAP resource cost and when a difference between the serving AP resource cost and the DAP resource cost is greater than a switching overhead cost.