Devices and methods for steering end devices between networks

A method comprising:

• operating, by a device, in a communication system that comprises a plurality of networks;
• initiating, by the device, an attach request to pre-attach the device to the plurality of networks by a pre-attach procedure with the plurality of networks, and attaching each of at least two subscriber modules of the device to one of the plurality of networks before establishing a connection with one of the plurality of networks, wherein the device comprises the at least two subscriber modules for assisting the device to attach to a network, the number of the at least two subscriber modules being fewer than the number of the plurality of networks, wherein the attach request comprises an indication the device needs to attach to more than one networks, wherein the initiating the attach request to pre-attach the device to the plurality of networks by the pre-attach procedure is dependent upon triggering events including one or more of switch-on of the device;
• a determination that the device is approaching a border of a zone that is a assigned to a different network of the plurality of networks from a network that the device is currently attached to;
• or receipt of information from a network relating to at least one of network loading or a type of service that can be accessed through one or more of the plurality networks;
• connecting, by the device, to one network of the plurality of networks for communicating data with the one network while remaining attached to others of the plurality of networks, wherein the connecting to the one network of the plurality of networks is dependent upon parameters including one or more of:
• a location of the device, a load of one or more of the networks, or a type of service that can be accessed through one or more of the plurality of networks;
• and
• operating, by the device, in a connected mode with respect to a network with which the device is connected and operating, by the device, in an idle mode with respect to a network to which the device is attached.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable instructions, wherein the instructions comprises:

• instructions for a device operating in a communication system that comprises a plurality of networks to initiate an attach request to pre-attach the device to the plurality of networks by a pre-attach procedure with the plurality of networks, and attach each of at least two subscriber modules of the device to one of the plurality of networks before establishing a connection with one of the plurality of networks, wherein the device comprises the at least two subscriber modules for assisting the device to pre-attach to a network, the number of the at least two subscriber modules being fewer than the number of the plurality of networks, wherein the attach request comprises an indication the device needs to attach to more than one networks, wherein the instructions to initiate the attach request to pre-attach the device to the plurality of networks by the pre-attach procedure is dependent upon triggering events including one or more of:
• switch-on of the device;
• a determination that the device is approaching a border of a zone that is assigned to a different network of the plurality of networks from a network that the device is currently attached to:
• or a receipt of information from a network relating to at least one of network loading or a type of service that can be accessed through one or more of the plurality networks;
• and
• instructions for the device to connect to one network of the plurality of networks for communicating data with the one network while remaining attached to others of the plurality of networks, wherein the instructions f or the device to connect to the one network of the plurality of networks is dependent upon parameters including one or more of a location of the device, a load of one or more of the networks, or a type of service that can be accessed through one or more of the plurality of networks, and
• instructions for the device to operate in a connected mode with respect to a network with which the device is connected and in an idle mode with respect to a network to which the device is attached.