Methods are provided for handing over a connection from a source base station to a target base station. The methods include receiving, at a gateway, a handover required message transmitted from the source base station, the handover required message indicating that a user equipment-connection serviced by the source base station should be handed over to a target base station; generating, at the gateway, a handover request message in response to receiving the handover required message; and transmitting, from the gateway, to the target base station the handover request message. The gateway acts as a proxy of a core network control node for a plurality of base stations that are connected to the gateway. Related devices are also provided herein.