MEDIA RESOURCE OPTIMIZATION

An apparatus includes a transceiver to support a media flow involving a user equipment and an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network that are connected via a media path that traverses a first realm associated with the user equipment, a second realm, and a third realm associated with the IMS network. In some cases, the apparatus includes a processor to establish a first context to perform interworking between the first realm and the second realm in response to an offer message from the user equipment. The processor later de-allocates the first context in response to receiving an answer message indicating that a second context performs interworking between the first realm and the third realm. In other cases, the processor bypasses allocation of a context to perform interworking between the second realm and the third realm in response to an indication that the media flow is anchored on an incoming side.