Mobile terminals, methods, and computer program products that can facilitate the selection of a communication service provider in a multiple communications mode environment

A method of selecting a communication service provider in a multi-mode environment, comprising the steps of:

• selecting a plurality of service providers corresponding to a plurality of communication modes that each have a selection methodology associated therewith;
• classifying the plurality of selected service providers along a continuum of common service provider preference levels;
• selecting a preferred service provider from among the plurality of selected service providers that has a highest service provider preference level among the plurality of selected service providers;
• establishing an adjustable threshold that divides the common service provider preference levels into a first category and a second category;
• and
• discarding those service providers from the plurality of selected service providers that have a classification in the first category prior to performing the selecting a preferred service provider from among the plurality of selected service providers step.

A multi-mode mobile terminal, comprising:

• first means for selecting a first service provider for a primary communication mode;
• means for classifying the first service provider along a continuum of common service provider preference levels that includes a first category of common service provider preference level and a second category of common service provider preference levels;
• second means, responsive to the means for classifying, for selecting a second service provider for an alternative communication mode;
• first means for ranking a communication modes that are compatible with the multi-mode mobile terminal;
• and
• means, responsive to the means for classifying, for assigning a highest ranking to a communication mode by which communication service was last established.

A multi-mode mobile terminal, comprising:

• first means for selecting a plurality of service providers corresponding to a plurality of communication modes;
• means for classifying the plurality of selected service providers along a continuum of common service provider preference levels;
• second means for selecting a preferred service provider from among the plurality of selected service providers that has a highest service provider preference level among the plurality of selected service providers;
• means for establishing an adjustable threshold that divides the common service provider preference levels into a first category and a second category;
• and
• means for discarding those service providers from the plurality of selected service providers that have a classification in the first category, the second means for selecting being responsive to the means for discarding.

A computer program product for selecting a communication service provider in a multi-mode environment, comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein, the computer readable program code means comprising:
• first computer readable program code means for selecting a first service provider for a primary communication mode;
• computer readable program code means for classifying the first service provider along a continuum of common service provider preference levels that includes a first category of common service provider preference levels and a second category of common service provider preference levels;
• second computer readable program code means, responsive to the means for classifying, for selecting a second service provider for an alternative communication mode;
• first computer readable program code means for ranking communication modes in the multi-mode environment;
• and
• computer readable program code means, responsive to the computer readable program code means for classifying, for assigning a highest ranking to a communication mode by which communication service was last established.

A computer program product for selecting a communication service provider in a multi-mode environment, comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein, the computer readable program code means comprising:
• first computer readable program code means for selecting a plurality of service providers corresponding to a plurality of communication modes;
• computer readable program code means for classifying the plurality of selected service providers along a continuum of common service provider preference levels;
• second computer readable program code means for selecting a service provider from among the plurality of selected service providers that has a highest service provider preference level among the plurality of selected service providers;
• computer readable program code means for establishing an adjustable threshold that divides the common service provider preference levels into a first category and a second category;
• and
• computer readable program code means for discarding those service providers from the plurality of selected service providers that have a classification in the first category, the second computer readable program code means for selecting being responsive to the computer readable code means for discarding.