Software Defined Networking (SDN) is used in IMS in order to provide a mechanism to forward (Internet Protocol) IP packets and provide a simplified solution to the complex signaling path of IMS according to directives from an SDN Controller. SDN is used in at least three particular scenarios. In the first scenario, communications are simplified using SDN directed signaling disaggregation. In the second scenario, SDN is used to direct media function chaining. In the third scenario, the system can be used as an SDN based media relay.