Method and apparatus for providing access to a packet data network

1. A network element of a cellular communication network, the network element comprising:

signal processing logic comprising a gateway router that is coupled to respective local gateway interfaces of a plurality of base stations, wherein the signal processing logic is arranged to receive requests to access a packet data network (PDN) from wireless communication units and to initiate access activation in response thereto;

wherein the signal processing logic receives a request to access a PDN that is identified by a generic address corresponding to gateway interfaces of the plurality of base stations from a wireless communication unit within a communication cell, and the gateway router is arranged to:

identify, from the plurality of base stations identified by the generic address, a base station supporting communications in the communication cell within which the wireless communication unit is located; and

obtain an address for a gateway interface of the identified base station with which the signal processing logic is to initiate access activation of the wireless communication unit to a local PDN coupled to the identified base station;

wherein the obtained gateway interface address of the identified base station is subsequently used as a gateway in routing communications between the wireless communication unit and the local PDN.

2. The network element of claim 1 wherein, upon receipt of the request to access the packet data network, the signal processing logic is arranged to determine whether the request was received from a macro sub-system radio network controller or a femto access point.

3. The network element of claim 1 wherein the signal processing logic is arranged to receive an Activate PDP (Packet Data Protocol) Context Request message from the wireless communication unit and determine whether the received Activate PDP Context Request message comprises an Access Point Name (APN) that corresponds to a service relating to the data packet network with which the gateway router of the identified base station is arranged to provide the interface.

4. The network element of claim 3 wherein the signal processing logic is arranged to:

compare the APN within the received request to a list of APN labels stored within memory: and

in response to determining that the APN within the received request matches an APN on the list of APN labels stored within memory, the signal processing logic uses the APN.

5. The network element of claim 1 wherein the signal processor is configured to send the identified base station a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) and a user plane address so that user data carried by the identified tunnel is routed by the base station to the local gateway interface.

6. The network element of claim 1 wherein the communication cell is a femto cell and the base station is a femto access point.

7. The network element of claim 1 wherein the gateway router is arranged to provide an interface between the wireless communication unit located within the communication cell and at least one from a group of packet data networks consisting of: Internet or a Local Area Network (LAN).

8. The network element of claim 1 wherein the base station is a femto access point.

9. A method for providing access to a packet data network, the method comprising, at a network element:

receiving a request to access the packet data network (PDN) that is identified by a generic address corresponding to gateway interfaces of a plurality of base stations from a wireless communication unit within a communication cell;

identifying, from the plurality of base stations identified by the generic address, a base station that supports communications in the communication cell within which the wireless communication unit is located;

obtaining an address for a gateway interface of the identified base station; and

initiating access activation of the wireless communication unit to a local PDN coupled to the identified base station; wherein the obtained gateway interface address of the identified base station is subsequently used as a gateway in routing communications between the wireless communication unit and the local PDN.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

determining whether the request was received from a macro sub-system radio network controller or a femto access point; and, in response to the request being received from the femto access point, the method further comprises:

providing the request to the gateway router, and

obtaining an appropriate address for the gateway interface of the femto access point by the gateway router.

11. A network element of a cellular communication network, the network element comprising:

signal processing logic circuit comprising a gateway router that is coupled to respective local gateway interfaces of a plurality of base stations, wherein the signal processing logic circuit is arranged to receive requests to access a packet data network (PDN) from wireless communication units and to initiate access activation in response thereto;

wherein the signal processing logic circuit receives a request to access a PDN that is identified by a generic address corresponding to gateway interfaces of the plurality of base stations from a wireless communication unit within a communication cell, the gateway router is arranged to:

identify, from the plurality of base stations identified by the generic address, a base station supporting communications in the communication cell within which the wireless communication unit is located; and

obtain an address for a gateway interface of the identified base station with which the signal processing logic circuit is to initiate access activation of the wireless communication unit to a local PDN coupled to the identified base station;

wherein the obtained gateway interface address of the identified base station is subsequently used as a gateway in routing communications between the wireless communication unit and the local PDN.

12. The network element of claim 11 wherein, upon receipt of the request to access the packet data network, the signal processing logic circuit is arranged to determine whether the request was received from a macro sub-system radio network controller or a femto access point.

13. The network element of claim 11 wherein the signal processing logic circuit is arranged to receive an Activate PDP (Packet Data Protocol) Context Request message from the wireless communication unit and determine whether the received Activate PDP Context Request message comprises an Access Point Name (APN) that corresponds to a service relating to the data packet network with which the gateway router of the identified base station is arranged to provide the interface.

14. The network element of claim 13 wherein the signal processing logic circuit is arranged to:

compare the APN within the received request to a list of APN labels stored within memory: and

in response to determining that the APN within the received request matches an APN on the list of APN labels stored within memory, the signal processing logic uses the APN.

15. The network element of claim 11 wherein the signal processor is configured to send the identified base station a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) and a user plane address so that user data carried by the identified tunnel is routed by the base station to the local gateway interface.

16. The network element of claim 11 wherein the gateway router is arranged to provide an interface between the wireless communication unit located within the communication cell and at least one from a group of packet data networks consisting of: Internet or a Local Area Network (LAN).