In a mobile network, the access point name (APN) is the virtual private network (VPN) that connects the user equipment through the Packet Data Network Gateway (P-GW) to the Packet Data Network (PDN). User equipment can access many APNs, which are domain names and associated parameters, and one is the default APN.
In the Long Term Evolution (LTE) architecture for the Evolved Packet Core (EPC), the APN determines the P-GW the user equipment should use. The APN also defines the tunnel connecting the user equipment to a PDN such as the Internet. Each PDN that the user subscribes to has an APN and an associated P-GW, often called a “PDN subscription context.” One context is the default APN, connecting to a PDN such as the Internet unless the user activates another APN.
APNs are configured by network operators and hold many of the parameters that characterize the user session to the PDN. The APN determines authorization and address allocation methods, several types of timeouts, and various other parameters. It also determines the IP address pools to be used, the charging type (such as offline or online) to be used, and the policy model (for example, if a policy and charging rules function [PCRF] is used for policy control).
The P-GW can also use various rules to determine which APN the user equipment should use. This is called the APN service selection method. The APN in turn defines the service and the P-GW that the user equipment employs.
In Cobira we have geo-redundant access points. The APNs used with our SIM cards are:
Europe : rh
Americas : altanwifi
Asia : kroly