Transmission of internet packets according to a priority

摘要

A telecommunications system is operable to provide a facility for a communications session to a mobile node using an internet protocol. When changing affiliation from one of a first and second packet data network to the other of the first and second packet data network (S1), a mobile node (31) is operable to generate a service level identifier (37) representing a requested priority (S2) to be afforded to the internet packets communicated to and from the mobile node with respect to other internet packets communicated to and from other nodes. The mobile node is also operable to generate a binding update internet packet (35) providing a care of address of the mobile and an indication of the service level identifier (S2) in the binding update internet packet and to communicate the binding update internet data packets to a home agent (S3) of the mobile node. The home agent is operable in response to the binding update to identify the service level identifier (S4) and to communicate the internet packets in accordance with the requested priority (S5) represented by the service level identifier. The telecommunications system can prioritise the transmission of internet packets according to a priority requested by the mobile node represented by the service level identifier thus reducing a likelihood that mobile node will experience delays or interruptions in the transmission of data.