Communication system and method for establishing a connection to a serving network element

A communication system comprising at least one user equipment which is adapted to communicate with a resource designation means to obtain information about session establishment means available in the said communication system, wherein a network element includes or is adapted to access a list of items comprising service-related information, and the user equipment, when intending to establish a session using a session establishment means, is provided with at least one item selected from the list, one of said selected items being used to enquire the resource designation means to obtain a reference to at least one session establishment means,

• the user equipment being adapted to establish a session via one of the session establishment means to which said reference has been obtained,
• wherein the list of service-related information comprises or represents a list of service provider names which list includes one or more service provider default names,
• wherein at least one of the service provider default names is assigned to a service provider provided for a user equipment attached to its home network, or to a service provider provided for a roaming user equipment attached to a network different from home network of the user equipment.

Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the resource designation means is a DNS (Domain Name System) server.

Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a reference to session establishment means is an address of a proxy.

Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a session is a call or video call or other real-time stream type of communication.

Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the user equipment is adapted to establish a connection to a serving network element for connection to another network element.

Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one address translating network element, the address translating network element comprising a map mapping a name of an item selected from the list to an address for accessing an element represented by or providing the selected item.

Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the service-related information represents services and/or service types.

Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the list includes names of proxy servers.

Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the user equipment comprises a memory means storing the list of service-related information.

Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the list of service-related information is stored in a serving network element.

Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a DHCP network element as a serving network element, the user equipment being adapted to access the DHCP server for receiving the list, or at least one or more items of the list, from the DHCP server.

Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a Serving Call State Control Function (S-CSCF) as a serving network element.

Communication system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the user equipment is adapted to perform a PDP connection, and to receive the list, or at least one or more items of the list, in a PDP-related message.

A communication method wherein at least one user equipment is adapted to communicate with a resource designation means to obtain information about session establishment means available in the a communication system, wherein

• the user equipment, when intending to establish a session using a session establishment means, accesses a list of at least one item comprising service-related information and selects an item from the list or picks the item in case the list comprises only one item,
• said item being used to enquire said resource designation means to obtain a reference to at least one session establishment means,
• said user equipment establishing a session via one of the session establishment means to which the reference has been obtained.

A communication method wherein at least one user equipment is adapted to communicate with a resource designation means to obtain information about session establishment means available in the said communication system, wherein a network element includes or is adapted to access a list of items comprising service-related information, and the user equipment, when intending to establish a session using a session establishment means, is provided with at least one item selected from the list, one of said selected items being used to enquire the resource designation means to obtain a reference to at least one session establishment means,

• the user equipment to establishing a session via one of the session establishment means to which said reference has been obtained,
• wherein the list of service-related information comprises or represents a list of service provider names which list includes one or more service provider default names,
• wherein at least one of the service provider default names is assigned to a service provider provided for a user equipment attached to its home network, or to a service provider provided for a roaming user equipment attached to a network different from home network of the user equipment.

Communication method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the resource designation means is a DNS (Domain Name System) server.

Communication method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein a reference to session establishment means is an address of a proxy.

Communication method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein a session is a call or video call or other real-time stream type of communication.

Communication method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the at least one user equipment is adapted to establish a connection to a serving network element for connection to another network element.

Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein at least one address translating network element comprising a map mapping a name of an item selected from the list to an address for accessing an element represented by or providing the selected item, the translated address translating network element sending the address of the selected item to the user equipment.

Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the service-related information represents services and/or service types.

Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the list includes names of proxy servers.

Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the user equipment comprises a memory means storing the list of service-related information.

Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the list of service-related information is stored in a serving network element.

Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, comprising a DHCP server as a serving network element, the user equipment being adapted to access the DHCP server for receiving the list, or at least one or more items of the list, from the DHCP server.

Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, comprising a Serving Call State Control Function (S-CSCF) as a serving network element.

Method according to any one of the preceding method claims, wherein the user equipment is adapted to perform a PDP connection, and to receive the list, or at least one or more items of the list, in a PDP-related message.