System and method for network controlled geofencing

A system comprising:

• a plurality of terminals;
• and
• at least one gateway comprising a transceiver for transmitting and receiving information to and from the plurality of terminals, the at least one gateway being configured to:
• identify restricted areas within at least one service region of a first communication system,
• define multiple sizes for protective zones surrounding each of the restricted areas,
• generate a service availability map having a plurality of tiles representative of the at least one service region, the service availability map including at least information corresponding to the protective zones, and
• broadcast the service availability map to the plurality of terminals within the at least one service region,
• wherein each of the plurality of terminals is configured to:
• detect its position on the service availability map relative to the protective zones,
• select a particular size of one of the protective zones based, at least in part, on its maximum transmit power,
• establish communication using a first frequency range in response to the detected position being inside one of the protective zones defined the selected size, and
• establish communication using either the first frequency range or a second frequency range in response to the detected position being outside of the protective zones,
• wherein the first frequency range belongs to the first communication system,
• wherein communication using the second frequency range is prohibited within the restricted areas, and
• wherein the second frequency range belongs to a second communication system and is shared with the first communication system.

A method comprising:

• identifying restricted areas within at least one service region of a first communication system;
• defining a protective zones surrounding each of the restricted areas;
• generating a service availability map having a plurality of tiles representative of the at least one service region, the service availability map including at least information corresponding to the protective zones;
• identifying tiles on the service availability map having service or no service using a pattern of ones and zeros;
• broadcasting the service availability map to terminals of the first communication system within the at least one service region;
• detecting a position of a selected terminal on the service availability map relative to the protective zones;
• establishing communication using a first frequency range in response to the selected terminal is being inside one of the protective zones;
• and
• establishing communication using either the first frequency range or a second frequency range in response to the selected terminal being outside of the protective zones,
• wherein the first frequency range belongs to the first communication system,
• wherein communication using the second frequency range is prohibited within the restricted areas, and
• wherein the second frequency range belongs to a second communication system and is shared with the first communication system.