diff --git a/openbsc/include/openbsc/bsc_msc.h b/openbsc/include/openbsc/bsc_msc.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9b523c749
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openbsc/include/openbsc/bsc_msc.h
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+/* Routines to talk to the MSC using the IPA Protocol */
+/*
+ * (C) 2010 by Holger Hans Peter Freyther <zecke@selfish.org>
+ * (C) 2010 by on-waves.com
+ * All Rights Reserved
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+ * with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
+ * 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+ *
+ */
+
+#ifndef BSC_MSC_H
+#define BSC_MSC_H
+
+#include "select.h"
+
+int connect_to_msc(struct bsc_fd *fd, const char *ip, int port);
+
+#endif
diff --git a/openbsc/src/bsc_msc.c b/openbsc/src/bsc_msc.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..160d31dd3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openbsc/src/bsc_msc.c
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+/* Routines to talk to the MSC using the IPA Protocol */
+/*
+ * (C) 2010 by Holger Hans Peter Freyther <zecke@selfish.org>
+ * (C) 2010 by on-waves.com
+ * All Rights Reserved
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+ * with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
+ * 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+ *
+ */
+
+#include <openbsc/bsc_msc.h>
+
+#include <arpa/inet.h>
+#include <sys/socket.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+
+int connect_to_msc(struct bsc_fd *fd, const char *ip, int port)
+{
+	struct sockaddr_in sin;
+	int on = 1, ret;
+
+	printf("Attempting to connect MSC at %s:%d\n", ip, port);
+
+	fd->fd = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, IPPROTO_TCP);
+	fd->when = BSC_FD_READ;
+	fd->data = NULL;
+	fd->priv_nr = 1;
+
+	if (fd->fd < 0) {
+		perror("Creating TCP socket failed");
+		return fd->fd;
+	}
+
+
+	memset(&sin, 0, sizeof(sin));
+	sin.sin_family = AF_INET;
+	sin.sin_port = htons(port);
+        inet_aton(ip, &sin.sin_addr);
+
+	setsockopt(fd->fd, SOL_SOCKET, SO_REUSEADDR, &on, sizeof(on));
+	ret = connect(fd->fd, (struct sockaddr *) &sin, sizeof(sin));
+
+	if (ret < 0) {
+		perror("Connection failed");
+		return ret;
+	}
+
+	ret = bsc_register_fd(fd);
+	if (ret < 0) {
+		perror("Registering the fd failed");
+		close(fd->fd);
+		return ret;
+	}
+
+	return ret;
+}