Simplified wireless connectivity for a cellular communications system

1. A method of operation of a base station in a cellular communications network, the method comprising:

during initial attachment of a wireless device:

establishing a Data Radio Bearer (DRB) between the base station and the wireless device;

updating a context of the wireless device to include information regarding the DRB established between the base station and the wireless device to thereby provide a mapping between the DRB and a cellular network identifier of the wireless device;

providing, to the wireless device, at least a portion of an Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned to the wireless device; and

updating the context of the wireless device to include the at least a portion of the IP address of the wireless device to thereby provide a mapping between the at least a portion of the IP address of the wireless device and the cellular network identifier of the wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining the context of the wireless device even when the wireless device is in idle mode.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the IP address of the wireless device is an IP version 6 (IPv6) address.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least a portion of the IP address of the wireless device is a prefix of the IPv6 address of the wireless device.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

receiving, from the wireless device, a router solicitation message;

wherein providing the at least a portion of the IP address to the wireless device comprises transmitting, to the wireless device, a router advertisement comprising the prefix of the IPv6 address of the wireless device in response to receiving the router solicitation message.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from an application server, an IP packet;

determining that the IP packet is addressed to the wireless device based on the IP address comprised in the IP packet and the at least a portion of the IP address comprised in the context of the wireless device; and

transmitting the IP packet to the wireless device on the DRB established for the wireless device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the initial attachment does not include an Evolved Packet System (EPS) Session Management (ESM) procedure.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein establishing the DRB comprises performing a DRB setup procedure without Evolved Packet System (EPS) session establishment.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising, during the initial attachment prior to establishing the DRB between the base station and the wireless device:

receiving a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection request from the wireless device;

upon receiving the RRC connection request, sending an RRC connection setup message to the wireless device; and

receiving an RRC connection setup complete message and Non-Access Stratum (NAS) attach request from the wireless device, wherein the NAS attach request does not include a Packet Data Network (PDN) connectivity request for Evolved Packet System (EPS) Session Management (ESM).

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising, during the initial attachment prior to establishing the DRB between the base station and the wireless device:

selecting a Simplified Connectivity Management Server (SCMS) for the wireless device, the SCMS supporting Simplified Wireless Connectivity (SWC);

sending, to the SCMS, an initial wireless device message to thereby establish a signaling connection between the base station and the SCMS, and an Evolved Packet System Connection Management (ECM) connection between the wireless device and the SCMS;

performing authentication and security activation procedures;

performing a location update procedure;

receiving, from the SCMS, an initial context setup request; and

upon receiving the initial context setup request, creating the context for the wireless device.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from an application server, an IP packet for the wireless device; and

transmitting a paging message for the wireless device using the cellular network identifier of the wireless device, wherein transmitting the paging message is initiated by the base station upon receiving the IP packet for the wireless device.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising starting a timer upon transmitting the paging message.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising stopping the timer upon receiving a response from the wireless device.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising stopping the timer upon receiving a Radio Resource Control (RRC), connection setup complete message from the wireless device.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising, upon expiry of the timer without receiving a response to the paging message from the wireless device, sending a message comprising the cellular network identifier of the wireless device to a Simplified Connectivity Management Server (SCMS).

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising, upon expiry of the timer without receiving a response to the paging message from the wireless device, sending a message comprising the cellular network identifier of the wireless device to a Simplified Connectivity Management Server (SCMS) such that the SCMS initiates paging of the wireless device by a plurality of base stations in one or more tracking areas in a tracking area list of the wireless device.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein receiving the IP packet for the wireless device comprises:

receiving the IP packet; and

mapping an IP address of the IP packet to a network identifier of the wireless device based on a stored mapping between the at least a portion of the IP address of the wireless device and the network identifier of the wireless device.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the IP address of the wireless device is an IP version 6 (IPv6) address, and the at least a portion of the IP address of the wireless device is a prefix of the IPv6 address of the wireless device.

19. A base station for a cellular communications network, the base station comprising:

at least one radio unit;

a network interface;

at least one processor; and

memory comprising instructions executable by the at least one processor whereby the base station implements a function having Internet Protocol (IP) node and router functionality that is operable to:

during initial attachment of a wireless device:

establish a Data Radio Bearer (DRB) between the base station and the wireless device;

update a context of the wireless device to include information regarding the DRB established between the base station and the wireless device to thereby provide a mapping between the DRB and a cellular network identifier of the wireless device;

provide, to the wireless device, at least a portion of an IP address assigned to the wireless device; and

update the context of the wireless device to include the at least a portion of the IP address of the wireless device to thereby provide a mapping between the at least a portion of the IP address of the wireless device and the cellular network identifier of the wireless device.