Network searching

A method for use in a mobile RF communication device comprising a radio frequency communications interface and a controller, said radio frequency communications interface comprising at least a first RF modem connected to a first SIM module configured for receiving a first SIM card associated with a first operator and a second RF modem connected to a second SIM module configured for receiving a second SIM card associated with a second operator, wherein said mobile RF communication device is configured for dual SIM operation and wherein said method comprises:

• sending a request for search data relevant to the second SIM module to a server, said request including an identifier for a first cell associated with the first operator;
• receiving a response from said server, said response including correlated search data comprising information about one or more other cells associated with the second operator, wherein inclusion of the information about each of said one or more other cells in the response is based on a correlation between each of said one or more other cells and said first cell, and the information includes search data for said one or more other cells;
• and
• when the correlated search data comprises an identifier for a second cell associated with the second operator, responding by adapting a network searching strategy for the second RF modem based on the correlated search data.

A server for storing a correlation between a first cell associated with a first operator and a second cell associated with a second operator, wherein the server comprises a memory configured for said storing and a controller, wherein said controller is configured to:

• receive a report from a mobile RF communication device configured for dual SIM operation, the report including an identifier for said first cell and search data associated with the second cell, and
• cause storage of the search data associated with the second cell as correlated search data related to the identifier for said first cell, wherein the first cell is associated with a first operator and the second cell is associated with a second operator,
• wherein said controller is further configured to:
• receive a request from a mobile RF communication device, said request including an identifier for the first cell;
• retrieve the correlated search data associated with the second cell;
• and
• send a response to the mobile RF communication device, the response including the correlated search data associated with the second cell, the search data including an identifier for the second cell.

A method for use in a server for storing a correlation between said first cell associated with a first operator and said second cell associated with a second operator, wherein the server comprises a memory configured for said storing and a controller, wherein the method comprises:

• receiving a report from a mobile RF communication device configured for dual SIM operation, the report including an identifier for said first cell and an identifier for said second cell;
• and
• storing the search data associated with the second cell as correlated search data related to the identifier for said first cell, wherein the first cell is associated with a first operator and the second cell is associated with a second operator,
• wherein the method further comprises:
• receiving a request from a mobile RF communication device, said request including an identifier for the first cell;
• retrieving the correlated search data associated with the second cell;
• and
• sending a response to the mobile RF communication device, the response including the correlated search data associated with the second cell, the search data including an identifier for the second cell.

A nontransitory computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions that, when loaded and executed on a processor, causes the processor to perform a method for use in a mobile RF communication device comprising a radio frequency communications interface and a controller, said radio frequency communications interface comprising at least a first RF modem connected to a first SIM module configured for receiving a first SIM card associated with a first operator and a second RF modem connected to a second SIM module configured for receiving a second SIM card associated with a second operator, wherein said mobile RF communication device is configured for dual SIM operation and wherein said method comprises:

• sending a request for search data relevant to the second SIM module to a server, said request including an identifier for a first cell associated with the first operator;
• receiving a response from said server, said response including correlated search data comprising information about one or more other cells associated with the second operator, wherein inclusion of the information about each of said one or more other cells in the response is based on a correlation between each of said one or more other cells and said first cell, and the information includes search data for said one or more other cells;
• and
• when the correlated search data comprises an identifier for a second cell associated with the second operator, responding by adapting a network searching strategy for the second RF modem based on the correlated search data.