The present invention relates to a mobility management method for mobile terminals in a cellular wireless communication system. The system comprises a core network and an access network comprising at least one controller, each controller controlling a group of base stations each defining at least one cell, and sets of cells form respective location areas. In the method the cells defined by the base stations controlled by each controller of the access network form a predetermined number of location areas and the belonging of each of the cells to one of the predetermined number of location areas is independent of its geographical location.