Abstract: The invention deals with managing handovers between access networks in a packet data communication environment. According to the invention, the possibility to control access network resources will improve by having a mobility manager node (160) managing such handovers. The mobility manager node will decide to handover a mobile node (105) from a first access network (110) to a second access network (120) based on received information relevant to the handover process. After the decision, the mobility manager node will instruct a home agent (141) or similar node to register a new care-of address or other locator of the mobile node's point of attachment, which is valid in the second access network and which can be used for contacting the mobile node in the second access network. The mobility manager node will thereafter instruct the mobile node to de-attach from the first network and attach to the second network.

Abstract: The present invention aims at an effective approach to radio access system attachment in a heterogeneous communication network environment. According to the present invention, cooperation between different radio access systems is executed to advertise one radio access system in another. After receipt of a secure advertisement from a control unit of the advertising radio access system, a broadcasting unit of the receiving radio access system broadcasts advertisement information in relation to the secure advertisement in the communication network. Therefore, according to the present invention, a user terminal may at any time receive broadcasted advertisement information while establishing a trusted relationship with advertiser.

Abstract: The invention provides methods method for access selection in a Multi-Access Network offering a plurality of Access Technologies (AT). The device may comprises a Multi Access Management entity (MAM) and a plurality of Generic Link Layer Entities (GLL) associated to a plurality of Accesses (A) according to said plurality of Access Technologies (AT). The access selection comprises an Access determination and an Access configuration. In a first step a Generic Link Layer Entity (GLL) determines one or more Generic Performance Metrics (GPM) corresponding to one or more configurations of the Access (A). The Generic Link Layer Entity (GLL) sends the determined one or more Generic Performance Metrics (GPM) corresponding to one or more configurations of the access (A) to the Multi Access Management entity (MAM). The Multi Access Management entity (MAM) determines from received Generic Performance Metrics (GPM), which Access (A) offers a configuration (GPM), which is suited for an application/bearer requirements.

Abstract: A method of routing traffic between external users and a communication network via a private access network. The method comprises establishing a secure outer tunnel between the private network and a gateway of a public access network to which the private network is coupled, based upon authentication of the private network to the public access network, said gateway being coupled to said communication network. For each external user wishing to connect to the communication network via the private network, a secure inner tunnel is established between the user and the gateway based upon authentication of the user to the gateway, the inner tunnel being within said outer tunnel. Traffic is caused to flow between external users and the gateway through the respective inner tunnels.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method, device, instruction set, and signal for communicating the availability of additional information in access points relevant for determining in a mobile station which access point to connect to. An information tag is inserted into a beacon signal alerting of the additional information available; mobile stations not implemented with the present invention may operate as if the information tag was not present and thus ensuring compatibility between systems.