Method and network routing node for mobile subscriber location management and for routing messages

Disclosed is a mobility management routing (MMR) node that performs location management signaling operations associated with mobile subscribers. The MMR node may also perform the signaling message routing functionality typically provided by a network routing node, such as a signaling system 7 (SS7) signal transfer point (STP) or an SS7-over-Internet protocol signaling gateway (SG). The MMR node caches mobile subscriber information extracted from messages transmitted between an HLR and a VLR and responds to some of the messages using the cached information. As a result, signaling message traffic and call setup time in a mobile communications network are reduced.