Method and apparatus to support seamless mobility across offload gateways

A method, comprising:

• performing the following at an offload network gateway:
• receiving a RELOCATION_REQUEST message;
• inspecting said RELOCATION_REQUEST message for information specific to a roaming device's live session with a network that said offload network gateway acts as a gateway to in order to offload data traffic from a GPRS network;
• in response to identifying said information within said RELOCATION_REQUEST message, extracting said information and using said information to continue the session for the roaming device.

An offload network gateway, comprising:

• a) an interface to a GPRS network;
• b) an interface to an RNC;
• c) an interface to a network that said offload network gateway acts as a gateway to offload traffic from said GPRS network;
• d) a source offload network gateway extended functional portion to perform the following method:
• receiving a RELOCATION_REQUIRED message from a source RNC;
• recognizing that said RELOCATION_REQUIRED message pertains to a roaming device having a live session with said network;
• and,
• adding information specific to said session to said RELOCATION_REQUIRED message;
• e) a target offload network gateway extended functional portion to perform the following method:
• receiving a RELOCATION_REQUEST message from said GPRS network;
• inspecting said RELOCATION_REQUEST message for information specific to a second roaming device's live respective session with said network;
• in response to identifying said information within said RELOCATION_REQUEST message, extracting said information and using said information to continue the session for the roaming device.