COMMUNICATION SYSTEM COMPRISING SEVERAL NETWORK ELEMENTS, COMMUNICATION METHOD, AND NETWORK ELEMENT

摘要

AThe invention provides a communication system and method wherein information can be properly routed also across network borders between networks of different types. The communication system comprises several network elements, wherein a first network element is adapted to convert a destination indication, e.g. a Destination Point Code (DPC) contained in a message, into an interrogation form suitable for interrogation of a server entity. The server entity is adapted to return an address when interrogated using the interrogation form. The message may then be sent by the first network element or another network element to the address returned by the server entity. The message may be a MAP (Mobile Application Part) message. The first network element may be part of a protocol converting entity which preferably contains a SIGTRAN protocol stack having a SCCP layer on top of a M3UA layer, the SCCP layer supplying the destination indication to the M3UA layer for conversion into the interrogation form. The server entity preferably is a Domain Name Server (DNS), and the address returned by the server entity may be an IP address. For achieving load-sharing, the server entity can store two or more alternatively selectable addresses for at least one of the destination indications.