Real-time Network Selection and Mobile Subscriber Identity Update for Inter-Standard Network Roaming

A roaming gateway adapted to facilitate inter-standard network roaming, comprising:

• a communication interface to communicate with a wireless network;
• and
• a processing circuit coupled to the communication interface and adapted to:
• receive a location update message from an access terminal in a visited network;
• determine whether a current roaming sponsor for the access terminal is a preferred roaming sponsor in the visited network;
• obtain a new mobile subscriber identity for the access terminal if the current roaming sponsor is not the preferred roaming sponsor, where the new mobile subscriber identity is associated with the preferred roaming sponsor;
• and
• send the new mobile subscriber identity to the access terminal so that it can establish wireless service in the visited network using the preferred roaming sponsor.

A roaming gateway adapted to facilitate inter-standard network roaming, comprising:

• means for receiving a location update message from an access terminal in a visited network;
• means for determining whether a current roaming sponsor for the access terminal is a preferred roaming sponsor in the visited network;
• means for obtaining a new mobile subscriber identity for the access terminal if the current roaming sponsor is not the preferred roaming sponsor, where the new mobile subscriber identity is associated with the preferred roaming sponsor, and
• means for sending the new mobile subscriber identity to the access terminal so that it may establish wireless service in the visited network using the preferred roaming sponsor.

A machine-readable medium comprising instructions operational in a roaming gateway for facilitating inter-standard network roaming, which when executed by one or more processors causes the processors to:

• receiving a location update message from an access terminal in a visited network;
• determining whether a current roaming sponsor for the access terminal is a preferred roaming sponsor in the visited network;
• obtaining a new mobile subscriber identity for the access terminal if the current roaming sponsor is not the preferred roaming sponsor, where the new mobile subscriber identity is associated with the preferred roaming sponsor;
• and
• sending the new mobile subscriber identity to the access terminal so that it can establish wireless service in the visited network using the preferred roaming sponsor.

A method operational on an access terminal, comprising:

• sending a location update message upon roaming into a visited network, wherein the access terminal is associated with a current roaming sponsor in the visited network;
• receiving a new mobile subscriber identity associated with a preferred roaming sponsor in the visited network if the current roaming sponsor is not the preferred roaming sponsor;
• and
• updating a dual mode card for the access terminal with the new mobile subscriber identity.

An access terminal adapted for inter-standard network roaming, comprising:

• a communication interface to communicate with a wireless network;
• and
• a processing circuit coupled to the communication interface and adapted to:
• send a location update message upon roaming into a visited network, wherein the access terminal is associated with a current roaming sponsor in the visited network;
• receive a new mobile subscriber identity associated with a preferred roaming sponsor in the visited network if the current roaming sponsor is not the preferred roaming sponsor;
• and
• update a dual mode card for the access terminal with the new mobile subscriber identity.

An access terminal adapted for inter-standard network roaming, comprising:

• means for sending a location update message upon roaming into a visited network, wherein the access terminal is associated with a current roaming sponsor within the visited network;
• means for receiving a new mobile subscriber identity associated with a preferred roaming sponsor in the visited network if the current roaming sponsor is not the preferred roaming sponsor;
• and
• means for updating a dual mode card for the access terminal with the new mobile subscriber identity.

A machine-readable medium comprising instructions operational in an access terminal for facilitating inter-standard network roaming, which when executed by one or more processors causes the processors to:

• send a location update message upon roaming into a visited network, wherein the access terminal is associated with a current roaming sponsor within the visited network;
• receive a new mobile subscriber identity associated with a preferred roaming sponsor in the visited network if the current roaming sponsor is not the preferred roaming sponsor;
• and
• update a dual mode card for the access terminal with the new mobile subscriber identity.