PACKET DATA SERVICE IN A MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

A switching and management infrastructure of a mobile communications network is connected to a gateway node by a standard interface initially defined to be used in an other packet-mode communication network, in order to provide a packet-mode connection to an external communication network. As a consequence, the protocols and signaling messages already defined and developed for this standard interface can be used for activating, deactivating and updating a logical packet data context between the infrastructure and the gateway packet node as well as to tunnel data packets therebetween. Also standard gateway packet node and all the existing interworking function thereof can be used for providing packet data services and interworking for the mobile network. Thereby the need for developing and defining a special packet data routing and interworking for the mobile network will be avoided or minimized. On the other hand, the packet data services and protocols as well as the mobility management already developed for the switching and management infrastructure can be utilized.