Technique for providing network access to different entities

A method of providing network access by an apparatus to an external device, the method comprising:

• providing a first mobile platform module adapted to support network access via a first radio access technology (RAT) and comprising a first data interface towards the external device;
• providing at least one second mobile platform module adapted to support network access via at least one second RAT and comprising a second data interface towards the external device;
• and
• selectively routing network traffic to and/or from the external device via one of the first data interface and the second data interface,
• wherein:
• the first mobile platform module further comprises:
• a first network address management component adapted to perform Internet Protocol (IP) address-related operations;
• and
• an IP layer;
• the second mobile platform module further comprises:
• a second network address management component adapted to perform IP address-related operations;
• and
• an IP layer;
• the first and second network address management components are adapted to communicate with each other to perform IP address synchronization among the two mobile platform modules, wherein the IP address synchronization causes the apparatus to act toward the network and to the external device as if the apparatus had only a single IP layer;
• and
• the IP address synchronization includes transfer of an IP address between the respective IP layers of the first and second mobile platform modules, wherein the IP address has been allocated by the network to which access is provided.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program code portions for performing a method when the program code portions are run on a computing device, wherein the method is a method of providing network access by an apparatus to an external device, the method comprising:

• providing a first mobile platform module adapted to support network access via a first radio access technology (RAT) and comprising a first data interface towards the external device:
• providing at least one second mobile platform module adapted to support network access via at least one second RAT and comprising a second data interface towards the external device;
• and
• selectively routing network traffic to and/or from the external device via one of the first data interface and the second data interface,
• wherein:
• the first mobile platform module further comprises:
• a first network address management component adapted to perform Internet Protocol (IP) address-related operations;
• and
• an IP layer;
• the second mobile platform module further comprises:
• a second network address management component adapted to perform IP address-related operations;
• and
• an IP layer;
• the first and second network address management components are adapted to communicate with each other to perform IP address synchronization among the two mobile platform modules, wherein the IP address synchronization causes the apparatus to act toward the network and to the external device as if the apparatus had only a single IP layer;
• and
• the IP address synchronization includes transfer of an IP address between the respective IP layers of the first and second mobile platform modules, wherein the IP address has been allocated by the network to which access is provided.