In one embodiment, a method for optimizing tracking areas for user equipments (UEs) is implemented in a mobile network and includes: defining network slices as a function of UE types, where UEs in the mobile network are associated with the network slices according to the UE types, defining network slice specific tracking areas as groups of one or more mobile base stations according to the network slices; receiving a signal from a given UE from among the UEs at a receiving mobile base station from among the one or more mobile base stations, and paging the given UE in a network slice specific tracking area from among the network slice specific tracking areas, where the receiving mobile base station is in the network slice specific tracking area, and the given UE is associated with the network slice specific tracking area according to an associated UE type from among the UE types.