METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING PACKET DATA LOSS IN A WIRELESS NETWORK

Various embodiments are described to address the need for more effective management of packet data loss in wireless communication systems. When a packet data destination (131) that is receiving a flow of packets for a packet data service instance indicates to the packet data sour ce (141) of the flow that the flow should be suspended, it also indicates to th e source how to process packets for the service instance while the flow transmission is suspended. For example, the packet data destination may indicate an event or condition that is triggering the flow suspension, the source can then begin buffering packets, discarding packets, starting timers , and/or taking other packet processing actions to manage packet data loss in view of the packet data destination's indication. Alternatively, the packet data destination may explicitly indicate the packet processing actions the source should take while the packet flow is suspended.