Methods and apparatus for client stickiness in wireless networks

A communications method comprising:

• receiving, at a location tracking device of a first wireless network, first geographic location information for a first user equipment device connected to a first wireless base station of the first wireless network;
• and
• determining, by the location tracking device, whether or not to restrict the first user equipment device from roaming to a second wireless network based on the received first geographic location information;
• and
• when said determination is to restrict the first user equipment device from roaming to the second wireless network, communicating a temporary roaming restriction instruction to the first user equipment device, said temporary roaming restriction instruction when implemented by the first user equipment device restricting the first user equipment device from roaming to a second wireless base station, said second wireless base station being part of the second wireless network;
• and
• when said determination is not to restrict the first user equipment device from roaming to the second wireless network, performing the following operations by the location tracking device:
• (i) determining by the location tracking device whether any temporary roaming restrictions have been communicated to the first user equipment device which are still in effect;
• (ii) in response to determining that temporary roaming restrictions are still in effect at the first user equipment device generating a roaming restriction removal instruction for the first user equipment device, said roaming restriction removal instruction when implemented by the first user equipment device removes any temporary roaming restrictions previously communicated to the first user equipment device from the location tracking device;
• and
• (iii) communicating, by the location tracking device, the generated roaming restriction removal instruction to the first user equipment device.

A communications method comprising:

• receiving, at a location tracking device of a first wireless network, first geographic location information for a first user equipment device connected to a first wireless base station of the first wireless network;
• determining, by the location tracking device, whether or not to restrict the first user equipment device from roaming to a second wireless network based on the received first geographic location information;
• and
• when said determination is to restrict the first user equipment device from roaming to the second wireless network, communicating a temporary roaming restriction instruction to the first user equipment device, said temporary roaming restriction instruction when implemented by the first user equipment device restricting the first user equipment device from roaming to a second wireless base station, said second wireless base station being part of the second wireless network;
• and
• wherein the first wireless network is a hybrid mobile network operator network operated by a first network operator;
• wherein the second wireless network is a mobile network operator network operated by a second network operator, said first and second network operators being different;
• wherein the first network operator and second network operator have entered into an agreement allowing user equipment devices of the first wireless network to operate on the second wireless network;
• and
• wherein coverage areas of the first wireless base station and the second wireless base station overlap.

A location tracking device of a first wireless network comprising:

• memory, and
• a first processor, said first processor controlling the location tracking device to perform the following operations:
• determining, by the location tracking device, geographical boundaries of the first wireless network with respect to a second wireless network;
• subsequent to determining said geographic boundaries of the first wireless network with respect to the second wireless network, receiving, at the location tracking device of the first wireless network, first geographic location information for a first user equipment device connected to a first wireless base station of the first wireless network;
• determining, by the location tracking device, whether or not to restrict the first user equipment device from roaming to the second wireless network based on the received first geographic location information, said determining whether or not to restrict the first user equipment device from roaming to the second wireless network based on the received first geographic location information includes:
• determining, by the location tracking device, whether or not the first geographic location information indicates that the first user equipment device is located within the determined geographical boundaries of the first wireless network;
• and
• when said determination is to restrict the first user equipment device from roaming to the second wireless network, communicating a temporary roaming restriction instruction to the first user equipment device, said temporary roaming restriction instruction when implemented by the first user equipment device restricting the first user equipment device from roaming to a second wireless base station, said second wireless base station being part of the second wireless network.

A location tracking device of a first wireless network comprising:

• memory, and
• a first processor, said first processor controlling the location tracking device to perform the following operations:
• receiving, at the location tracking device of the first wireless network, first geographic location information for a first user equipment device connected to a first wireless base station of the first wireless network;
• determining, by the location tracking device, whether or not to restrict the first user equipment device from roaming to a second wireless network based on the received first geographic location information;
• and
• when said determination is to restrict the first user equipment device from roaming to the second wireless network, communicating a temporary roaming restriction instruction to the first user equipment device, said temporary roaming restriction instruction when implemented by the first user equipment device restricting the first user equipment device from roaming to a second wireless base station, said second wireless base station being part of the second wireless network;
• and
• when said determination is not to restrict the first user equipment device from roaming to the second wireless network,
• (i) determining by the location tracking device whether any temporary roaming restrictions have been communicated to the first user equipment device which are still in effect;
• (ii) in response to determining that temporary roaming restrictions are still in effect at the first user equipment device generating a roaming restriction removal instruction for the first user equipment device, said roaming restriction removal instruction when implemented by the first user equipment device removes any temporary roaming restrictions previously communicated to the first user equipment device from the location tracking device;
• and
• (iii) communicating, by the location tracking device, the generated roaming restriction removal instruction to the first user equipment device.

A non-transitory computer readable medium including a first set of computer executable instructions which when executed by a processor of a location tracking device of a first wireless network causes the location tracking device to perform the steps of:

• determining geographical boundaries of the first wireless network with respect to a second wireless network;
• subsequent to determining said geographical boundaries of the first wireless network with respect to the second wireless network,
• receiving, at the location tracking device of the first wireless network, first geographic location information for a first user equipment device connected to a first wireless base station of the first wireless network;
• determining, by the location tracking device, whether or not to restrict the first user equipment device from roaming to the second wireless network based on the received first geographic location information, said determining whether or not to restrict the first user equipment device from roaming to the second wireless network based on the received first geographic location information includes:
• determining, by the location tracking device, whether or not the first geographic location information indicates that the first user equipment device is located within the determined geographical boundaries of the first wireless network;
• and
• when said determination is to restrict the first user equipment device from roaming to the second wireless network, communicating a temporary roaming restriction instruction to the first user equipment device, said temporary roaming restriction instruction when implemented by the first user equipment device restricting the first user equipment device from roaming to a second wireless base station, said second wireless base station being part of the second wireless network.

A location tracking device of a first wireless network comprising:

• memory, and
• a first processor, said first processor controlling the location tracking device to perform the following operations:
• receiving, at the location tracking device of the first wireless network, first geographic location information for a first user equipment device connected to a first wireless base station of the first wireless network;
• determining, by the location tracking device, whether or not to restrict the first user equipment device from roaming to a second wireless network based on the received first geographic location information;
• and
• when said determination is to restrict the first user equipment device from roaming to the second wireless network, communicating a temporary roaming restriction instruction to the first user equipment device, said temporary roaming restriction instruction when implemented by the first user equipment device restricting the first user equipment device from roaming to a second wireless base station, said second wireless base station being part of the second wireless network;
• wherein the first wireless network is a hybrid mobile network operator network operated by a first network operator;
• wherein the second wireless network is a mobile network operator network operated by a second network operator, said first and second network operators being different;
• wherein the first network operator and second network operator have entered into an agreement allowing user equipment devices of the first wireless network to operate on the second wireless network;
• and
• wherein coverage areas of the first wireless base station and the second wireless base station overlap.