Abstract: A mobile communication network includes a plurality of access nodes that can serve different roles in support of a communication session with a mobile station. An access node can serve as a connecting node that receives access requests the mobile station, as an anchor node to anchor a radio packet connection with a core network for the communication session; or as a primary node to store session information for the communication session. One or more monitoring entities monitor the availability of the access nodes and broadcast notification messages to other access nodes when an access node failure is detected. The broadcast message includes the identity of the failed access node. Other access nodes may take action to restore connections and recover session information maintained by the failed access node.

Abstract: A mobile communication network includes a plurality of access nodes that can serve different roles in support of a communication session with a mobile station. An access node can serve as a connecting node that receives access requests the mobile station, as an anchor node to anchor a radio packet connection with a core network for the communication session; or as a primary node to store session information for the communication session. One or more monitoring entities monitor the availability of the access nodes and broadcast notification messages to other access nodes when an access node failure is detected. The broadcast message includes the identity of the failed access node. Other access nodes may take action to restore connections and recover session information maintained by the failed access node.

Abstract: A mobile communication network includes a plurality of access nodes that can serve different roles in support of a communication session with a mobile station. An access node can serve as a connecting node that receives access requests the mobile station, as an anchor node to anchor a radio packet connection with a core network for the communication session; or as a primary node to store session information for the communication session. When the communication session is established, the anchor node for the communication session may select another access node to serve as the primary node. Session information can be stored at both the anchor node and primary node so that data can be delivered to the mobile station if either one of the anchor node and primary node are available.

Abstract: A method of reducing loading on backhaul communications links in a wireless communications system suppresses a portion of the upward flow of frame information for idle and/or erased frames in certain situations, such as when multiple ones of such frames are successively encountered. A radio base station abstains from sending a frame header to a BSC/ANC for second and following frames of the Idle type and/or the radio base station abstains from sending a frame header to a BSC/ANC for second and following frames of the Erased type. The header may also or alternatively be suppressed for an Idle frame immediately following a Good frame. The BSC/ANC in effect fills in the suppressed frame information in such situations, forwards appropriate indications of frame type to the frame selection algorithm.