Network-requested activation of packet data protocol context

1. A method for activating a packet data protocol context in a wireless telecommunication system comprising at least one terminal and at least one network element, the network element being configured to deliver packets between the wireless telecommunication system and other packet data networks, the method comprising:

storing direction-specific service conditions in the telecommunication system for packets received by the network element and designated to at least one terminal, the direction-specific service conditions determining what kind of service is provided for packets received from different directions,

determining, by the network element, the direction from which a packet to be delivered to the terminal was received,

checking the direction-specific service conditions relating to said determined direction of the packet,

activating the packet data protocol context if the direction-specific service conditions allow packet data protocol context to be activated for the packet; and

denying the packet data protocol context if the direction-specific service conditions do not allow the packet data protocol context to be activated for the packet if received from a prohibited direction.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the stored direction-specific service conditions comprise information on allowed nodes,

the node from which the received packet was transmitted is determined, and

the packet data protocol context is activated in response to the fact that the stored service conditions allow packets to be transmitted from the determined node to the terminal.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an address space is determined in the direction-specific service conditions, packet data protocol context activation being allowed for packets delivered from the address space,

the source address of the received packet is determined,

it is checked whether the source address of the received packet belongs to said address space, and

the packet data protocol context is activated in response to the fact that the received packet belongs to said address space.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 , the method further comprising:

storing, in addition to the direction-specific service conditions, service-type-specific service conditions in the network element, the service-type-specific service conditions determining what kind of service is provided for received packets of different service types,

determining the service type associated with the received packet designated to the terminal,

checking the service conditions relating to said service type and said direction from the stored service conditions, and

activating the packet data protocol context according to the service-type-specific and direction-specific service conditions.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the service conditions are stored subscriber-specifically.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the service conditions comprise information on the quality of service and/or charging for the packets of the packet data protocol context, and the packet data protocol context is activated according to the quality of service determined in the service conditions and/or the charging of the packet data protocol context according to the charging information in response to the fact that the service conditions allow packets to be delivered.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the stored direction-specific service conditions comprise information on allowed nodes, the node from which the received packet was transmitted is determined, and further comprising means for activating the packet data protocol context in response to the stored service conditions allowing packets to be transmitted from the determined node to the terminal.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an address space is capable of being determined in the direction-specific service conditions, packet data protocol context activation being allowed for packets delivered from the address space, and the source address of the received packet is determined, and further comprising:

means for checking whether the source address of the received packet belongs to the address space, and

means for activating the packet data protocol context in response to the received packet belonging to the address space.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

means for storing, in addition to the direction-specific service conditions, service-type-specific service conditions in the network element, the service-type-specific service conditions determining what kind of service is provided for received packets of different service types;

means for determining the service type associated with the received packet designated to the terminal;

means for checking the service conditions relating to said service type and the direction from the stored service conditions; and

means for activating the packet data protocol context according to the service-type-specific and direction-specific service conditions.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising means for storing the service conditions subscriber-specifically.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the service conditions comprise information on the quality of service and/or charging for the packets of the packet data protocol context, and further comprising means for activating the packet data protocol context according to the quality of service determined in the service conditions and/or the charging of the packet data protocol context according to the charging information in response to the fact that the service conditions allow packets to be delivered.

12. A method for activating a packet data protocol context in a wireless telecommunication system comprising at least one terminal and at least one network element, the network element being configured to deliver packets between the wireless telecommunication system and other packet data networks, the method comprising:

storing service-type-specific service conditions in the telecommunication system for packets received by the network element and designated to at least one terminal, the service conditions determining what kind of service is provided for received packets of different service types,

determining the service type associated with a packet received by the network element and designated to the terminal,

checking the service conditions relating to said determined service type of the packet,

activating the packet data protocol context if the service-type-specific service conditions allow packet data protocol context to be activated for the packet; and

denying the packet data protocol context if the direction-specific service conditions do not allow the packet data protocol context to be activated for the packet if received from a prohibited direction.

13. A method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the service-type-specific service conditions are stored on the basis of port numbers,

the port number contained in the packet received by the network element and designated to the terminal is determined, and

the packet data protocol context according to service conditions relating to said determined port number is activated.

14. A method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the service conditions are stored subscriber-specifically.

15. A method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein

the service conditions comprise information on the quality of service and/or charging for the packets of the packet data protocol context, and

the packet data protocol context is activated according to the quality of service determined in the service conditions and/or the charging of the packet data protocol context according to the charging information in response to the fact that the service conditions allow packets to be delivered.

16. A network part in a wireless telecommunication system, which network part is configured to deliver packets between a wireless telecommunication network and a fixed packet data network, wherein said network part comprises means for storing direction-specific service conditions for packets received by said network part and designated to at least one terminal, the direction-specific service conditions determining what kind of service is provided for packets received from different directions,

said network part is configured to determine the direction from which a packet to be delivered to the terminal was received,

said network part is configured to check the stored service conditions relating to said determined direction of the packet,

said network part is configured to request packet data protocol context activation if the direction-specific service conditions allow packet data protocol context to be activated for the packet; and

said network part is configured to deny the packet data protocol context if the direction-specific service conditions do not allow the packet data protocol context to be activated for the packet if received from a prohibited direction.

17. A network part as claimed in claim 11 , wherein

said network part is configured to determine the node that transmitted the received packet and/or the source address of the received packet.

18. A network part as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said network part comprises software means for determining the direction and/or service type of the packet and for checking the service conditions.

19. A network part as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said network part is a gateway GPRS support node GGSN in a GPRS system and/or a firewall functionally connected to the gateway support node.

20. A network part in a wireless telecommunication system, which network part is configured to deliver packets between a wireless telecommunication network and a fixed packet data network, wherein said network part comprises means for storing service-type-specific service conditions for packets received by said network part and designated to at least one terminal, the service-type-specific service conditions determining what kind of service is provided for received packets of different service types,

said network part is configured to determine the service type of a received packet to be delivered to the terminal,

said network part is configured to check service conditions relating to said determined service type of the packet,

said network part is configured to request packet data protocol context activation if the service-type-specific service conditions allow packet data protocol context to be activated for the packet; and

said network pat is configured to deny the packet data protocol context if the direction-specific service conditions do not allow the packet data protocol context to be activated for the packet if received from a prohibited direction.

21. A network part as claimed in claim 15 , wherein said network part is configured to determine the port number of the received packet.

22. A network part as claimed in claim 15 , wherein said network part comprises software means for determining the direction and/or service type of the packet and for checking the service conditions.

23. A network part as claimed in claim 15 , wherein

said network part is a gateway GPRS support node GGSN in a GPRS system and/or a firewall functionally connected to the gateway support node.

24. An apparatus, comprising:

means for storing direction-specific service conditions for received packets, the direction-specific service conditions being capable of determining what kind of service is provided for packets received from different directions;

means for determining the direction from which a packet to be delivered to a terminal was received;

means for checking the direction-specific service conditions relating to the determined direction of the packet;

means for activating the packet data protocol context if the direction-specific service conditions allow packet data protocol context to be activated for the packet; and

means for denying the packet data protocol context if the direction-specific service conditions do not allow the packet data protocol context to be activated for the packet if received from a prohibited direction.