Tunneling packet exchange in long term evolution protocol based networks

A machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions which, responsive to being executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

• receiving a request for a network connection between a wireless communication device and a packet data network;
• facilitating a communication session between a wireless access node in wireless communication with the wireless communication device and the packet data network, wherein the facilitating of the network connection comprises an exchange of control signaling between a second network device and a packet data network gateway, wherein the second network device comprises a serving gateway function, and wherein the second network device operates in an evolved packet core network of a long term evolution system;
• determining a mobility metric of the wireless communication device;
• and
• identifying a tunnel solution responsive to the determining of the mobility metric, wherein the tunnel solution comprises a first tunnel connection to transfer a plurality of user data packets between the wireless communication device and the packet data network.

A device comprising:

• memory to store executable instructions;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the executable instructions, performs operations comprising:
• receiving a request for a network connection between a wireless communication device and a packet data network;
• facilitating a communication session between a wireless access node in wireless communication with the wireless communication device and the packet data network, wherein the facilitating of the network connection comprises an exchange of control signaling between a second network device and a packet data network gateway, wherein the second network device comprises a mobility anchoring function, and wherein the second network device operates in an evolved packet core network of a long term evolution system;
• determining eligibility of the wireless communication device to participate in a direct tunnel connection allowing a transfer of a plurality of user data packets between the wireless communication device and the packet data network to bypass the mobility anchoring function;
• and
• facilitating the direct tunnel connection to transfer a plurality of user data packets between the wireless communication device and the packet data network.