Emergency services using path optimization

1. A method of operating a visited access gateway to provide an emergency communication service to a visiting mobile unit, the method comprising:

transferring a user registration from the visiting mobile unit to a home communication network;

receiving the user registration in the home communication network and transferring a home internet protocol address from the home communication network to the visiting mobile unit;

in the visited access gateway:

receiving an emergency call request having the home internet protocol address from the visiting mobile unit;

transferring the emergency call request having the home internet protocol address over a signaling tunnel from the visiting mobile unit to a visited call processing system;

receiving routing instructions from the visited call processing system, wherein the routing instructions include an internet protocol address for a visited emergency service node and an identity of a bearer tunnel between the visiting mobile unit and the visited emergency service node; and

in accordance with the routing instructions, exchanging emergency communications having the home internet protocol address over the bearer tunnel between the visiting mobile unit and the visited emergency service node.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining if the emergency call request meets policy rules; and

routing the emergency communications through the home communication network if the policy rules are not met.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the policy rules are received from a home call processing system and the visited call processing system.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the visited call processing system translates a 911 call to a media gateway IP address.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the emergency communications over the bearer tunnel between the visiting mobile unit and the visited emergency service node is established on a public switched telephone network (PSTN).

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signaling tunnel is pre-existing.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the emergency call request has an explicit indication that it is for emergency services.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the visited emergency service node is a public safety answering point (PSAP).

9. A communication system for operating a visited access gateway to provide an emergency communication service to a visiting mobile unit, comprising:

the visited access gateway;

a visited call processing system;

a visited emergency service node; and

a signaling tunnel between the visiting mobile unit and the visited call processing system;

wherein a home communication network is configured to receive a user registration from a visiting mobile unit, and transfer a home internet protocol address to the visiting mobile unit;

wherein the visited access gateway is configured to receive an emergency call request having the home internet protocol address from the visiting mobile unit;

wherein the visited access gateway is also configured to transfer the emergency call request having the home internet protocol address over the signaling tunnel;

wherein the visited access gateway is also configured to receive routing instructions from the visited call processing system, wherein the routing instructions include an internet protocol address for the visited emergency service node and an identity of a bearer tunnel between the visiting mobile unit and the visited emergency service node; and

wherein the visited access gateway is also configured to, in accordance with the routing instructions, exchange emergency communications having the home internet protocol address over the bearer tunnel between the visiting mobile unit and the visited emergency service node.

10. The communication system of claim 9 , wherein the visited access gateway is also configured to determine if the emergency call request meets policy rules, and to route the emergency communications through the home communication network if the policy rules are not met.

11. The communication system of claim 10 , wherein the policy rules are received from a home call processing system within the home communication network and the visited call processing system.

12. The communication system of claim 9 , wherein the visited call processing system is also configured to translate a 911 call to a media gateway IP address.

13. The communication system of claim 9 , wherein the emergency communications over the bearer tunnel between the visiting mobile unit and the visited emergency service node is established on a public switched telephone network (PSTN).

14. The communication system of claim 9 wherein the signaling tunnel is pre-existing.

15. The communication system of claim 9 , wherein the emergency call request has an explicit indication that it is for emergency services.

16. The communication system of claim 9 , wherein the visited emergency service node is a public safety answering point (PSAP).

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for operating a communication system including a visited access gateway to provide an emergency communication service to a visiting mobile unit, wherein the instructions, when executed by the communication system, direct the communication system to:

transfer a user registration from the visiting mobile unit to a home communication network;

receive the user registration in the home communication network and transfer a home internet protocol address from the home communication network to the visiting mobile unit;

in the visited access gateway:

receive an emergency call request having the home internet protocol address from the visiting mobile unit;

transfer the emergency call request having the home internet protocol address over a signaling tunnel from the visiting mobile unit to a visited call processing system;

receive routing instructions from the visited call processing system, wherein the routing instructions include an internet protocol address for a visited emergency service node and an identity of a bearer tunnel between the visiting mobile unit and the visited emergency service node; and

in accordance with the routing instructions, exchange emergency communications having the home internet protocol address over the bearer tunnel between the visiting mobile unit and the visited emergency service node.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , further comprising instructions directing the communication system to:

determine if the emergency call request meets policy rules; and

route the emergency communications through the home communication network if the policy rules are not met.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the policy rules are received from a home call processing system and the visited call processing system.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the visited call processing system translates a 911 call to a media gateway IP address.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the emergency communications over the bearer tunnel between the visiting mobile unit and the visited emergency service node is established on a public switched telephone network (PSTN).

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the signaling tunnel is pre-existing.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the emergency call request has an explicit indication that it is for emergency services.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the visited emergency service node is a public safety answering point (PSAP).