Signaling in a mobile cellular communication network with pooled MSCs

摘要

To achieve an efficient and flexible routing of signaling messages between a core network and an access network in a mobile communication cellular network, it is proposed to provide a pool of mobile switching apparatuses between the core network and the access network. Each mobile switching apparatus in the pool ( 10 ) comprises a signaling unit ( 32 ) adapted to issue a paging message to the access network for connection establishment to a mobile terminal. Further, according to the present invention it is proposed to provide each mobile switching apparatus in the pool ( 10 ) with a relay unit ( 28 ) adapted to receive a paging response from the access network. Further, the relay unit ( 28 ) is adapted to determine a mobile switching apparatus in the pool ( 10 ) of mobile switching apparatuses handling the paging response.