Telecommunications system and method

1. A telecommunications system for providing a facility for mobile communications to a mobile node, the system comprising:

a packet radio network comprising a core network and a radio network, the core network being arranged to communicate internet packets to and from the radio network in accordance with a location of the mobile node within the packet radio network, and the radio network being arranged to communicate the internet packets received via the core network to and from the mobile node from and sent to a radio access interface, the core network and the radio network being arranged to communicate the internet packets in accordance with a current configuration of routing and communications resources of at least one of the core network and the radio network, established in accordance with the location of the mobile node, wherein the mobile node is arranged

to generate a packet data connection activation request in accordance with a packet connection procedure for establishing a communications bearer for communicating the internet packets across the mobile radio network, a service level identifier being inserted in a field of the packet data connection activation request, the service level identifier representing a priority to be afforded to communicating internet packets to or from the mobile node with respect to the internet packets received from other mobile nodes, and

to communicate the packet data connection request to the core network of the packet radio network, wherein the core network is arranged

to establish a communications bearer to and from the mobile node via the core network and the radio network in accordance with the packet data connection request, and

to alter the current configuration of routing and communications resources of at least one of the core network and the radio network following a change of location of the mobile node with a relative priority determined in accordance with the service level identifier,

wherein the routing configuration and communications resources include providing the core network with a routing area, to which internet packets are routed to and received from so that the internet packets can be communicated to and received from the mobile node, and in response to a routing area update request received from the mobile node, the core network is arranged to process the routing area update request in accordance with the requested priority represented by the service level identifier,

wherein the core network comprises at least one serving packet radio system support node and a packet radio system gateway support node, and the routing area update request received from the mobile node includes an intra serving packet radio system support node routing area update.

2. A telecommunications system for providing a facility for mobile communications to a mobile node, the system comprising:

a packet radio network comprising a core network and a radio network, the core network being arranged to communicate internet packets to and from the radio network in accordance with a location of the mobile node within the packet radio network, and the radio network being arranged to communicate the internet packets received via the core network to and from the mobile node from and sent to a radio access interface, the core network and the radio network being arranged to communicate the internet packets in accordance with a current configuration of routing and communications resources of at least one of the core network and the radio network, established in accordance with the location of the mobile node, wherein the mobile node is arranged

to generate a packet data connection activation request in accordance with a packet connection procedure for establishing a communications bearer for communicating the internet packets across the mobile radio network, a service level identifier being inserted in a field of the packet data connection activation request, the service level identifier representing a priority to be afforded to communicating internet packets to or from the mobile node with respect to the internet packets received from other mobile nodes, and

to communicate the packet data connection request to the core network of the packet radio network, wherein the core network is arranged

to establish a communications bearer to and from the mobile node via the core network and the radio network in accordance with the packet data connection request, and

to alter the current configuration of routing and communications resources of at least one of the core network and the radio network following a change of location of the mobile node with a relative priority determined in accordance with the service level identifier,

wherein the routing configuration and communications resources include providing the core network with a routing area, to which internet packets are routed to and received from so that the internet packets can be communicated to and received from the mobile node, and in response to a routing area update request received from the mobile node, the core network is arranged to process the routing area update request in accordance with the requested priority represented by the service level identifier,

wherein the core network comprises at least one serving packet radio system support node and a packet radio system gateway support node, and the routing area update request received from the mobile node includes an inter serving packet radio system support node routing area update.

3. A telecommunications system for providing a facility for mobile communications to a mobile node, the system comprising:

a packet radio network comprising a core network and a radio network, the core network being arranged to communicate internet packets to and from the radio network in accordance with a location of the mobile node within the packet radio network, and the radio network being arranged to communicate the internet packets received via the core network to and from the mobile node from and sent to a radio access interface, the core network and the radio network being arranged to communicate the internet packets in accordance with a current configuration of routing and communications resources of at least one of the core network and the radio network, established in accordance with the location of the mobile node, wherein the mobile node is arranged

to generate a packet data connection activation request in accordance with a packet connection procedure for establishing a communications bearer for communicating the internet packets across the mobile radio network, a service level identifier being inserted in a field of the packet data connection activation request, the service level identifier representing a priority to be afforded to communicating internet packets to or from the mobile node with respect to the internet packets received from other mobile nodes, and

to communicate the packet data connection request to the core network of the packet radio network, wherein the core network is arranged

to establish a communications bearer to and from the mobile node via the core network and the radio network in accordance with the packet data connection request, and

to alter the current configuration of routing and communications resources of at least one of the core network and the radio network following a change of location of the mobile node with a relative priority determined in accordance with the service level identifier,

wherein the packet data connection activation request is a packet data protocol activation request and the service level identifier is provided by a protocol configuration option part of the packet data protocol activation request.

4. A telecommunications system for providing a facility for mobile communications to a mobile node, the system comprising:

a packet radio network comprising a core network and a radio network, the core network being arranged to communicate internet packets to and from the radio network in accordance with a location of the mobile node within the packet radio network, and the radio network being arranged to communicate the internet packets received via the core network to and from the mobile node from and sent to a radio access interface, the core network and the radio network being arranged to communicate the internet packets in accordance with a current configuration of routing and communications resources of at least one of the core network and the radio network, established in accordance with the location of the mobile node, wherein the mobile node is arranged

to generate a packet data connection activation request in accordance with a packet connection procedure for establishing a communications bearer for communicating the internet packets across the mobile radio network, a service level identifier being inserted in a field of the packet data connection activation request, the service level identifier representing a priority to be afforded to communicating internet packets to or from the mobile node with respect to the internet packets received from other mobile nodes, and

to communicate the packet data connection request to the core network of the packet radio network, wherein the core network is arranged

to establish a communications bearer to and from the mobile node via the core network and the radio network in accordance with the packet data connection request, and

to alter the current configuration of routing and communications resources of at least one of the core network and the radio network following a change of location of the mobile node with a relative priority determined in accordance with the service level identifier,

wherein the core network is arranged to maintain a profile cache in which the service level identifier is stored in association with a packet data protocol address assigned to the mobile node.

5. A telecommunications system according to claim 4 , wherein

the core network is arranged to compare the requested priority represented by the service identifier to a pre-set priority associated with the packet data protocol address, and

if the requested priority does not exceed the pre-set priority to communicate the internet packets in accordance with the requested priority represented by the service level identifier.

6. A method of providing mobile communications to a mobile node using a packet radio network, the packet radio network including a core network and a radio network, the method comprising

communicating internet packets to and from the radio network of the packet radio network in accordance with a location of a mobile node within the packet radio network,

communicating the internet packets received by the radio network or communicated to the radio network, from and sent to the core network, to and from the mobile node via a radio access interface, the communicating the internet packets to and from the mobile node via the radio access interface, the radio network and the core network, being made in accordance with a current configuration of routing and communications resources of at least one of the core network and the radio network established in accordance with the location of the mobile node, wherein the current configuration of routing and communications resources are established in accordance with a location of the mobile including

generating a packet data connection activation request using the mobile node in accordance with a packet connection procedure for establishing a communications bearer for communicating the internet packets across the mobile radio network,

altering the packet data connection activation request to include a service level identifier representing a priority to be afforded to the communicated internet packets with respect to the internet packets received from other mobile nodes, and

communicating the packet data connection request to the core network of the packet radio network,

establishing a communications bearer to and from the mobile node via the core network part and the radio network part in accordance with the packet data connection request, and

altering the current configuration of routing and communications resources of at least one of the core network and the radio network following a change of location of the mobile node with a relative priority determined in accordance with the service level identifier,

wherein the routing configuration and communications resources include providing the core network with a routing area, to which internet packets are routed to and received from so that the internet packets can be communicated to and received from the mobile node, the method comprising

in response to a routing area update request received from the mobile node, processing the routing area update request, in the core network, in accordance with the requested priority represented by the service level identifier,

wherein the core network comprises at least one serving packet radio system support node and a packet radio system gateway support node, and the routing area update request received from the mobile node includes an intra serving packet radio system support node routing area update.

7. A method of providing mobile communications to a mobile node using a packet radio network, the packet radio network including a core network and a radio network, the method comprising

communicating internet packets to and from the radio network of the packet radio network in accordance with a location of a mobile node within the packet radio network,

communicating the internet packets received by the radio network or communicated to the radio network, from and sent to the core network, to and from the mobile node via a radio access interface, the communicating the internet packets to and from the mobile node via the radio access interface, the radio network and the core network, being made in accordance with a current configuration of routing and communications resources of at least one of the core network and the radio network established in accordance with the location of the mobile node, wherein the current configuration of routing and communications resources are established in accordance with a location of the mobile including

generating a packet data connection activation request using the mobile node in accordance with a packet connection procedure for establishing a communications bearer for communicating the internet packets across the mobile radio network,

altering the packet data connection activation request to include a service level identifier representing a priority to be afforded to the communicated internet packets with respect to the internet packets received from other mobile nodes, and

communicating the packet data connection request to the core network of the packet radio network,

establishing a communications bearer to and from the mobile node via the core network part and the radio network part in accordance with the packet data connection request, and

altering the current configuration of routing and communications resources of at least one of the core network and the radio network following a change of location of the mobile node with a relative priority determined in accordance with the service level identifier,

wherein the routing configuration and communications resources include providing the core network with a routing area, to which internet packets are routed to and received from so that the internet packets can be communicated to and received from the mobile node, the method comprising

in response to a routing area update request received from the mobile node, processing the routing area update request, in the core network, in accordance with the requested priority represented by the service level identifier,

wherein the core network comprises at least one serving packet radio system support node and a packet radio system gateway support node, and the routing area update request received from the mobile node includes an inter serving packet radio system support node routing area update.

8. A method of providing mobile communications to a mobile node using a packet radio network, the packet radio network including a core network and a radio network, the method comprising

communicating internet packets to and from the radio network of the packet radio network in accordance with a location of a mobile node within the packet radio network,

communicating the internet packets received by the radio network or communicated to the radio network, from and sent to the core network, to and from the mobile node via a radio access interface, the communicating the internet packets to and from the mobile node via the radio access interface, the radio network and the core network, being made in accordance with a current configuration of routing and communications resources of at least one of the core network and the radio network established in accordance with the location of the mobile node, wherein the current configuration of routing and communications resources are established in accordance with a location of the mobile including

generating a packet data connection activation request using the mobile node in accordance with a packet connection procedure for establishing a communications bearer for communicating the internet packets across the mobile radio network,

altering the packet data connection activation request to include a service level identifier representing a priority to be afforded to the communicated internet packets with respect to the internet packets received from other mobile nodes, and

communicating the packet data connection request to the core network of the packet radio network,

establishing a communications bearer to and from the mobile node via the core network part and the radio network part in accordance with the packet data connection request

altering the current configuration of routing and communications resources of at least one of the core network and the radio network following a change of location of the mobile node with a relative priority determined in accordance with the service level identifier,

wherein the packet data connection activation request is a packet data protocol activation request and the service level identifier is provided by a protocol configuration option part of the packet data protocol activation request.

9. A method of providing mobile communications to a mobile node using a packet radio network, the packet radio network including a core network and a radio network, the method comprising

communicating internet packets to and from the radio network of the packet radio network in accordance with a location of a mobile node within the packet radio network,

communicating the internet packets received by the radio network or communicated to the radio network, from and sent to the core network, to and from the mobile node via a radio access interface, the communicating the internet packets to and from the mobile node via the radio access interface, the radio network and the core network, being made in accordance with a current configuration of routing and communications resources of at least one of the core network and the radio network established in accordance with the location of the mobile node, wherein the current configuration of routing and communications resources are established in accordance with a location of the mobile including

generating a packet data connection activation request using the mobile node in accordance with a packet connection procedure for establishing a communications bearer for communicating the internet packets across the mobile radio network,

altering the packet data connection activation request to include a service level identifier representing a priority to be afforded to the communicated internet packets with respect to the internet packets received from other mobile nodes, and

communicating the packet data connection request to the core network of the packet radio network,

establishing a communications bearer to and from the mobile node via the core network part and the radio network part in accordance with the packet data connection request

altering the current configuration of routing and communications resources of at least one of the core network and the radio network following a change of location of the mobile node with a relative priority determined in accordance with the service level identifier, and

including

maintaining a profile cache in which the service level identifier is stored by the core network in association with a packet data protocol address assigned to the mobile node.

10. A method according to claim 9 , including

comparing the requested priority represented by the service identifier to a pre-set priority associated with the packet data protocol address, and

if the requested priority does not exceed the pre-set priority, communicating the internet packets in accordance with the requested priority represented by the service level identifier.

11. A mobile node for communicating internet packets to and from a packet radio network, the packet radio network including a core network and a radio network, the mobile node being arranged:

to communicate internet packets to and from the radio network of the packet radio network, via a radio access interface, the radio network being arranged to communicate the internet packets received from and sent to the core network to and from the mobile node via the radio access interface, the core network and the radio network being arranged to communicate the internet packets in accordance with a current configuration of routing and communications resources of at least one of the core network and the radio network, established in accordance with the location of the mobile node,

to generate a packet data connection activation request in accordance with a packet connection procedure for establishing a communications bearer for communicating the internet packets across the mobile radio network, a service level identifier being inserted in a field of the packet data connection activation request, the service level identifier representing a priority to be afforded to communicating internet packets received by and transmitted from the mobile node with respect to the internet packets communicated by other mobile nodes,

to communicate the packet data connection request to the core network of the packet radio network, and

to transmit a routing area update request to the core network, the core network being arranged to process the routing area update request in accordance with the requested priority represented by the service level identifier, wherein the routing configuration and communication resources include providing the core network with a routing area, to which internet packets are routed to and received from so that the internet packets can be communicated to and received from the mobile node.

12. A mobile node according to claim 11 , wherein the core network comprises at least one serving packet radio system support node and a packet radio system gateway support node, and the transmitted routing area update request received from the mobile node includes an intra serving packet radio system support node routing area update.

13. A mobile node according to claim 11 , wherein the core network comprises at least one serving packet radio system support node and a packet radio system gateway support node, and the transmitted routing area update request received from the mobile node includes an inter serving packet radio system support node routing area update.