Macro diversity in a mobile data network with edge breakout

A method for providing macro diversity in a mobile data network with breakout at a basestation in a radio access network coupled to a core network, the method comprising the steps of:

• transmitting radio signals to and from user equipment from a plurality of basestations that are part of the radio access network that communicates with the core network,
• sending uplink signaling data from a plurality of basestations to a plurality of edge processing mechanisms each associated with at least one of the plurality of basestations and located within the radio access network:
• designating at least one edge processing mechanisms as slave edge processing mechanisms and an edge processing mechanism as a master edge processing mechanism;
• sending uplink signaling data from the at least one slave edge processing mechanism to the master edge processing mechanism;
• combining uplink signaling data received by the master edge processing mechanism with signaling data from the at least one slave edge processing mechanism to generate a best data packet;
• detecting a change in an active set that adds a new node;
• terminating edge data breakout when the new node in the active set does not have an edge processing mechanism;
• designating an edge processing mechanism for the new node as a slave edge processing mechanism;
• the master edge processing mechanism sending channel maintenance traffic to a radio network controller (RNC);
• the slave edge processing mechanism does not send channel maintenance traffic to the RNC;
• the RNC sends downlink signaling data to the edge processing mechanisms in the active set;
• the edge processing mechanisms in the active set pass the downlink signaling data to the basestations;
• the basestations pass the downlink signaling data to the UE;
• and
• the UE combines the packets from the basestations of the active set.