3GPP Evolved Packet Core support for distributed mobility anchors: Control enhancements for GW relocation

This paper discusses the 3GPP Evolved Packet Core (EPC) as a deployment of a distributed data plane architecture. Distributed GWs in connection with user mobility may result in the need to optimize data routing by GW relocation. It is proposed to include the GWs itself in the decision on GW relocation what is currently done in the control plane node (mobility management entity) only. Proposals are made to allow the relocation also for active mode devices (user activity detection), to detect the occurrence of a non optimal routing situation and to detect situations where a relocation should be suppressed to avoid particularly poor user experience. These improvements are compared with other solutions.