Distributed Non-Access Stratum Termination

A method, comprising:

• by a radio access network element:
• receiving information from a wireless device indicating that network-side non-access stratum (NAS) termination for the wireless device can be distributed;
• providing an indication to a core network anchor node that network-side NAS termination for the wireless device can be distributed;
• receiving mobility management context information for the wireless device from the core network anchor node, wherein the mobility management context information for the wireless device includes addressing information for one or more other core network nodes;
• receiving uplink data from the wireless device;
• and
• forwarding the uplink data directly to at least one of the one or more other core network nodes using the addressing information included in the mobility management context information for the wireless device.

A radio access network element, comprising:

• a network interface;
• one or more processors;
• and
• a memory having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the radio access network element to perform operations comprising:
• receiving information from a wireless device indicating that network-side non-access stratum (NAS) termination for the wireless device can be distributed;
• providing an indication to a core network anchor node that network-side NAS termination for the wireless device can be distributed;
• receiving mobility management context information for the wireless device from the core network anchor node, wherein the mobility management context information for the wireless device includes addressing information for one or more other core network nodes;
• receiving uplink data from the wireless device;
• and
• forwarding the uplink data directly to at least one of the one or more other core network nodes using the addressing information included in the mobility management context information for the wireless device.