Transfer of connections triggered by a MME in case of failure of a serving gateway

A radio telecommunications network, comprising a plurality of user equipment, at least one serving gateway, at least one home gateway and at least one serving gateway support node, each user equipment being connected to a packet-based data network by a serving gateway and a home gateway, each serving gateway being associated with a serving gateway support node, each serving gateway support node being arranged such that as the user equipment roam throughout the network, the serving gateway support node is arranged to cause the user equipment to switch serving gateways whilst maintaining the user equipment's connection to the packet-based data network through the home gateway;

• wherein, for a given connection, should a serving gateway support node detect a loss of connectivity between a user equipment and a relevant home gateway or between the serving gateway support node and a relevant first serving gateway, the serving gateway support node is arranged to re-establish the connection from the user equipment to the packet-based data network via a second serving gateway and the home gateway without interrupting the connection of the user equipment to the packet-based network,
• wherein the MME is further configured to detect a loss of connectivity between the user equipment and the home gateway or between the serving gateway support node and a first serving gateway, and the MME is further configured to re-establish the connection from the user equipment to the packet-based data network via a second serving gateway and the home gateway without interrupting the connection of the user equipment to the packet-based network.

A method of operating a radio telecommunications network, the radio telecommunication network comprising a plurality of user equipment, at least one serving gateway, at least one home gateway and at least one serving gateway support node, comprising the steps of:

• connecting each user equipment to a packet-based data network by a serving gateway and a home gateway, each serving gateway being associated with a serving gateway support node, each serving gateway support node causing the user equipment to switch serving gateways whilst maintaining the user equipment's connection to the packet-based data network through the home gateway as the user equipment roam through the radio telecommunications network;
• wherein, for a given connection, should a serving gateway support node detect a loss of connectivity between a user equipment and a relevant home gateway or between the serving gateway support node and a relevant first serving gateway, the serving gateway support node reestablishes the connection from the user equipment to the packet-based data network via a second serving gateway and the home gateway without interrupting the connection of the user equipment to the packet-based network,
• wherein the MME is further configured to detect a loss of connectivity between the user equipment and the home gateway or between the serving gateway support node and a first serving gateway, and the MME is further configured to re-establish the connection from the user equipment to the packet-based data network via a second serving gateway and the home gateway without interrupting the connection of the user equipment to the packet-based network.