System and method providing interoperability between cellular and other wireless systems

A method comprising:

• providing cellular service from a cellular network to a multimode mobile terminal, the mobile terminal being capable of switching among, at least, cellular and wireless modes;
• providing authorization from the cellular network to a controller of the wireless local area network to enable communication between the wireless local area network and the mobile terminal, the controller of the wireless local area network being responsible for at least accounting for the wireless local area network to record an expense for providing the mobile terminal with access to the wireless local area network;
• and
• wherein each network is managed by a separate entity.

A method performed by a cellular network and wireless local area network for providing a multimode mobile terminal with access to the wireless local area network, the mobile terminal being capable of switching among, at least, cellular and wireless modes and corresponding to a subscriber of a cellular network, the wireless local area network and cellular network each being managed by a separate entity, the method comprising:

• the cellular network identifying the mobile terminal and the wireless local area network from a request by the mobile terminal for access to the wireless local area network, the request comprising information which identifies the wireless local area network;
• based on the identifying, the cellular network authorizing a controller of the wireless local area network to provide the mobile terminal with access to the wireless local area network as a subscriber of the cellular network, the controller of the wireless local area network being responsible for at least accounting for the wireless local area network to record an expense for providing the mobile terminal with access to the wireless local area network;
• and
• the wireless local area network providing the mobile terminal with access to the wireless local area network as authorized.

A method performed by a cellular network and multimode mobile terminal, the mobile terminal being capable of switching among, at least, cellular and wireless modes and corresponding to a subscriber of the cellular network, the wireless local area network and cellular network each being managed by a separate entity, the method comprising:

• the mobile terminal requesting access to the wireless local area network;
• the cellular network identifying the mobile terminal and the wireless local area network from a request by the mobile terminal, the request comprising information which identifies the wireless local area network;
• based on the identifying, the cellular network authorizing a controller of the wireless local area network to provide the mobile terminal with access to the wireless local area network as a subscriber of the cellular network, the controller of the wireless local area network being responsible for at least accounting for the wireless local area network to record an expense for providing the mobile terminal with access to the wireless local area network;
• and
• the mobile terminal accessing the wireless local area network.

An apparatus in a cellular network to provide a multimode mobile terminal with access to a wireless local area network, the mobile terminal being capable of switching among, at least, cellular and wireless modes and corresponding to a subscriber of the cellular network, the wireless local area network and cellular network each being managed by a separate entity, the apparatus comprising:

• an identifying module to identify the mobile terminal and the wireless local area network from a request by the mobile terminal for access to the wireless local area network, the request comprising information which identifies the wireless local area network;
• and
• an authorizing module communicatively coupled to the identifying module to authorize a controller of the wireless local area network to provide the mobile terminal with access to the wireless local area network as a subscriber of the cellular network based on identifying the mobile terminal and the wireless local area network, and
• the controller of the wireless local area network being responsible for at least accounting for the wireless local area network to record an expense for providing the mobile terminal with access to the wireless local area network.

A computer program product comprising a nontransitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a computer readable program, the computer readable program when loaded into a computer processor of a node in a wireless local area network, transforms the computer processor into a programmed computer processor and when executed causes the programmed computer processor to:

• receive authorization from a cellular network to provide a multimode mobile terminal with access to the wireless local area network, the mobile terminal being capable of switching among, at least, cellular and wireless modes and corresponding to a subscriber of the cellular network, the cellular network being managed by an entity separate from one managing the wireless local area network;
• provide the mobile terminal with access to the wireless local area network as a subscriber of the cellular network;
• and
• provide accounting for the wireless local area network to record an expense, in a controller of the wireless local area network, for providing the mobile terminal with access to the wireless local area network in a controller of the wireless local area network.

A cellular network node to provide a multimode mobile terminal with access to a wireless local area network, the mobile terminal being capable of switching among, at least, cellular and wireless modes and corresponding to a subscriber of a cellular network, the wireless local area network and cellular network each being managed by a separate entity, the node comprising:

• a transceiver configured to transmit and receive cellular communications with the mobile terminal;
• and
• a processor communicatively coupled to the wireless local area network programmed to:
• identify the mobile terminal and the wireless local area network from a request for access received by the processor and the request comprising information which identifies the wireless local area network;
• and
• authorize a controller of the wireless local area network to provide the mobile terminal with access to the wireless local area network as a subscriber of the cellular network based on identifying the mobile terminal and the wireless local area network, the controller of the wireless local area network being responsible for at least accounting for the wireless local area network to record an expense for providing the mobile terminal with access to the wireless local area network.