Method, apparatus, and computer program product for providing internet protocol multicast transport

1. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

the at least one memory and computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:

select a key for encapsulation of multicast data at a gateway device;

communicate a single message indicative of a multicast connection for a particular service from the gateway device to a first base station in a multicast-broadcast zone, wherein one or more second base stations are connected thereto such that the first base station is configured to communicate the single message to the one or more second base stations, the one or more second base stations being joined to a same multicast tree in the multicast-broadcast zone as the gateway device; and

establish the multicast connection with the base stations via a multicast data path comprising a multicast tunnel associated with the key.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the message comprises a path registration request.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to select the key by selecting a generic routing encapsulation key from a multicast and broadcast service pool.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to communicate the message by communicating the message including the key or an internet protocol multicast address.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to utilize internet protocol multicast for downlink communication.

6. A method comprising:

selecting, via a processor, a key for encapsulation of multicast data at a gateway device;

communicating a single message indicative of a multicast connection for a particular service from the gateway device to a first base station in a multicast-broadcast zone, wherein one or more second base stations are connected thereto such that the first base station is configured to communicate the single message to the one or more second base stations, the one or more second base stations being joined to a same multicast tree in the multicast-broadcast zone as the gateway device; and

establishing the multicast connection with the base stations via a multicast data path comprising a multicast tunnel associated with the key.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein selecting the key comprises selecting a generic routing encapsulation key from a multicast and broadcast service pool.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein communicating the message further comprises communicating the message including the key or an internet protocol multicast address.

9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising utilizing internet protocol multicast for downlink communication.

10. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions comprising:

program code instructions for selecting a key for encapsulation of multicast data at a gateway device;

program code instructions for communicating a single message indicative of a multicast connection for a particular service from the gateway device to a first base station in a multicast-broadcast zone, wherein one or more second base stations are connected thereto such that the first base station is configured to communicate the single message to the one or more second base stations, the one or more second base stations being joined to a same multicast tree in the multicast-broadcast zone as the gateway device; and

program code instructions for establishing the multicast connection with the base stations via a multicast data path comprising a multicast tunnel associated with the key.