Enhanced wide area network support via a broadband access gateway

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon one or more instructions executable by at least one processor arranged to communicate with a wireless wide area network via a broadband network and to communicate wirelessly with a plurality of access devices, the execution of the one or more instructions causing the processor to perform a method of operating a subscriber device for providing enhanced wireless wide area network service to the plurality of access devices, the method comprising:

• receiving a first message, from the wireless wide area network via the broadband network, using a first protocol;
• transmitting a first wireless message based upon the first received message to one of the plurality of access devices, using a second protocol;
• receiving a second wireless message from the one of the plurality of access devices, using the second protocol;
• transmitting a second message based upon the received second wireless message to the wireless wide area network via the broadband network, using the first protocol;
• and
• translating one or both of signaling and control messaging, and one or more of voice, data, and multimedia messaging, between the first protocol and the second protocol to support wireless call communication between the one of the plurality of access devices and the wireless wide area network via at least one wireless interface operably coupled to the at least one processor, if it is determined that an association of the subscriber device with at least one wireless wide area network subscriber is known to the wireless wide area network prior to call establishment.

A communication system providing enhanced wide area network support via a gateway device, the system comprising:

• a subscriber device comprising at least one wireless interface compatible with a
• plurality of wireless access devices, the subscriber device arranged to communicatively couple to a wireless wide area network via a broadband network, the subscriber device associated with at least one wireless wide area network subscriber;
• wherein the subscriber device performs conversion between air interface messaging used by wireless access devices, and messaging used for communication, via the broadband network, with the wireless wide area network;
• and
• wherein the subscriber device operates to permit handoff of wireless access device call communication for the at least one wireless wide area network subscriber between the at least one wireless interface and the wireless wide area network, if it is determined that an association of the subscriber device with the at least one wireless wide area network subscriber is known to the wireless wide area network prior to call establishment.