Method and apparatus for controlling inter-plmn handover to csg cell

A method by a terminal in a communication system, the method comprising:

• transmitting, to a mobility management entity (MME), an attach request message or a track area update request message;
• and
• receiving, from the MME, a message related to a handover,
• wherein an update location request message associated with the terminal is transmitted from MME to a home subscriber server (HSS), the update location request message including an equivalent public land mobile network (PLMN) list when the MME supports an inter-PLMN handover to an equivalent PLMN of the equivalent PLMN list,
• wherein an updated location acknowledgement (ACK) message including subscription information associated with the terminal is transmitted from the HSS to the MME, the subscription information including a closed subscriber group (CSG) subscription information for the equivalent PLMN list,
• wherein a handover required message related to the handover is transmitted from a source base station associated with the terminal to the MME, the handover required message including information on a PLMN of a target cell and information CSG identity (ID) of the target cell, and
• wherein a CSG membership of the terminal in the target cell is validated based on the CSG cell identity (ID) of the target cell and the CSG subscription information for the equivalent PLMN list.

A method by a base station in a communication system, the method comprising:

• transmitting, to a mobility management entity (MME), an attach request message or a track area update request message associated with a terminal;
• and
• transmitting, to the MME, a handover required message including information on a public land mobile network (PLMN) of a target cell and information CSG ID of the target cell,
• wherein an update location request message associated with the terminal is transmitted from the MME to a home subscriber server (HSS), the update location request message including an equivalent public land mobile network (PLMN) list when the MME supports an inter-PLMN handover to an equivalent PLMN of the equivalent PLMN list,
• wherein an updated location acknowledgement (ACK) message including subscription information associated with the terminal is transmitted from the HSS to the MME, the subscription information including a closed subscriber group (CSG) subscription information for the equivalent PLMN list, and
• wherein a CSG membership of the terminal in the target cell is validated based on the CSG cell identity (ID) of the target cell and the CSG subscription information for the equivalent PLMN list.

A mobility management entity (MME) in a communication system, the MME comprising:

• a transceiver;
• a controller coupled with the transceiver and configured to control to:
• receive, from a terminal, an attach request message or a track area update request message,
• transmit, to a home subscriber server (HSS), an update location request message associated with the terminal, the update location request message including an equivalent public land mobile network (PLMN) list when the MME supports an inter-PLMN handover to an equivalent PLMN of the equivalent PLMN list,
• receive, from the HSS, an updated location acknowledgement (ACK) message including subscription information associated with the terminal, the subscription information including a closed subscriber group (CSG) subscription information for the equivalent PLMN list,
• receive, from a source base station associated with the terminal, a handover required message including information on a PLMN of a target cell and information CSG ID of the target cell, and
• validate a CSG membership of the terminal in the target cell based on the CSG cell identity (ID) of the target cell and the CSG subscription information for the equivalent PLMN list.

A terminal in a communication system, the terminal comprising:

• a transceiver;
• a controller coupled with the transceiver and configured to control to:
• transmit, to a mobility management entity (MME), an attach request message or a track area update request message, and
• receive, from the MME, a message related to a handover,
• wherein an update location request message associated with the terminal is transmitted from MME to a home subscriber server (HSS), the update location request message including an equivalent public land mobile network (PLMN) list when the MME supports an inter-PLMN handover to an equivalent PLMN of the equivalent PLMN list,
• wherein an updated location acknowledgement (ACK) message including subscription information associated with the terminal is transmitted from the HSS to the MME, the subscription information including a closed subscriber group (CSG) subscription information for the equivalent PLMN list,
• wherein a handover required message related to the handover is transmitted from a source base station associated with the terminal to the MME, the handover required message including information on a PLMN of a target cell and information CSG identity (ID) of the target cell, and
• wherein a CSG membership of the terminal in the target cell is validated based on the CSG cell identity (ID) of the target cell and the CSG subscription information for the equivalent PLMN list.

A base station in a communication system, the base station comprising:

• a transceiver;
• a controller coupled with the transceiver and configured to control to:
• transmit, to a mobility management entity (MME), an attach request message or a track area update request message associated with a terminal, and
• transmit, to the MME, a handover required message including information on a public land mobile network (PLMN) of a target cell and information CSG ID of the target cell,
• wherein an update location request message associated with the terminal is transmitted from the MME to a home subscriber server (HSS), the update location request message including an equivalent public land mobile network (PLMN) list when the MME supports an inter-PLMN handover to an equivalent PLMN of the equivalent PLMN list,
• wherein an updated location acknowledgement (ACK) message including subscription information associated with the terminal is transmitted from the HSS to the MME, the subscription information including a closed subscriber group (CSG) subscription information for the equivalent PLMN list, and
• wherein a CSG membership of the terminal in the target cell is validated based on the CSG cell identity (ID) of the target cell and the CSG subscription information for the equivalent PLMN list.