Use of traffic load reduction indicator for facilitating mobility management entity overload control function

One or more non-transitory tangible media that includes code for execution and when executed by a processor is operable to perform operations comprising:

• determining whether a received overload message includes a traffic load reduction indication element;
• determining a percentage of network elements to which to relay the received overload message if the received overload message includes the traffic load reduction indication element;
• selecting ones of the network elements to which to send the received overload message based on the determined percentage;
• modifying the received message to change a value of the traffic load reduction indication element;
• and
• sending the modified message to the selected ones of the network elements.

An apparatus comprising:

• a memory element configured to store data;
• and
• a processor operable to execute instructions associated with the data;
• wherein the apparatus is configured to:
• determine whether a received overload message includes a traffic load reduction indication element;
• determine a percentage of network elements to which to relay the received overload message if the received overload message includes the traffic load reduction indication element;
• select ones of the network elements to which to send the received overload message based on the determined percentage;
• modify the received message to change a value of the traffic load reduction indication element;
• and
• send the modified message to the selected ones of the network elements.