Local data bi-casting between core network and radio access

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for setting up a connection between an originating mobile entity and a terminating mobile entity connecting to the same radio access network of a mobile communications network, the radio access network accessing a core network through a serving access gateway serving one of the two mobile entities the method performed by the serving access gateway comprising the steps of receiving a connection setup message for establishing the connection between the originating and the terminating mobile entity, wherein the connection setup message transmitted along a signalling path in the core network comprises an information element storing media plane access needs of at least one network node in the signalling path of the core network, wherein the media plane access needs indicate the needs of a network node in the signal path of the core network to access a media plane of the connection to be set up. Additionally it is checked whether any of the network nodes in the signalling path of the core network needs access to the media plane of said connection to be set up, wherein, if none of the network nodes needs access to the media plane and if the serving access gateway needs access to the media plane at least the following steps are carried out: a media gateway that is handling a media stream of the serving access gateway is instructed to provide an uplink endpoint for the connection to the originating mobile entity and an uplink endpoint for the connection to the terminating mobile entity for the connection to be set up, and the radio access network is informed to transmit the media stream of the originating and the terminating mobile entity to the media gateway of the serving access gateway needing access to the media plane.