Wireless access network sharing among core networks and methods

A method in a communication device, the method comprising:

• receiving system information,
• the system information including pointer information indicating where the communication device may obtain information about multiple core networks sharing a common access network from which the system information was received;
• attempting to connect to one of the multiple core networks using the information about multiple core networks sharing the common access network from which the system information was received.

A method in a communication device, the method comprising:

• receiving system information,
• the system information including a pseudo identity, the pseudo identity common to multiple core networks sharing common access network;
• receiving multiple core network identities corresponding to the multiple core networks sharing the common access network in response to attempting to connect to a core network using the pseudo identity.

A method in a communication device, the method comprising:

• receiving first system information from a first access network and receiving second system information from a second access network, the first system information including a first core network identity and information on how many core networks share the first access network, the second system information including a second core network identity,
• selecting one of the first and second core network identities based on the number of core networks sharing the first access networks.

A method in a communication device, the method comprising:

• receiving information about multiple core networks sharing a common access network,
• the information including at least one of identities of at least some of the multiple core networks sharing the common core network, core network domain information, information on services supported by at least some of the multiple core networks sharing the common access network;
• selecting a core network to which the communication device attempts to connect using the information received.

A communications system information message, the communications system information message comprising:

• an information block,
• the information block including a data field for a number indicating how many core networks share a common access network.

A communications system information message, the communications system information message comprising:

• an information block,
• the information block including a pointer to a location where identities for multiple wireless communications core networks sharing a common access network may be obtained.

A communications system information broadcast message, the communications system information broadcast message comprising:

• an information block,
• the information block including a pseudo network identity identifying multiple core networks sharing a common access network.

A network connection request message, the network connection request message comprising:

• an information block,
• the information block including a data field for indicating that a network entity may select, on behalf of a communication device, one of a plurality of core networks sharing a common access network.

A method in a communications network entity, the method comprising:

• receiving preferred core network information from a communication device;
• selecting a core network for the communication device;
• giving consideration to the preferred core network information received from the communication device when selecting the core network for the communication device.

A method in a communications network entity, the method comprising:

• receiving a communication device identity from a communication device;
• selecting a core network from multiple core networks sharing a common access network for the communication device based on the communication device identity.