Inbound roaming controls in a shared network
AssigneeCellco Partnership
InventorsAmol Tuli, Miguel A. Carames
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method includes receiving, at a network device in a shared network that includes a plurality of PLMNs, a request from an inbound roaming user device to connect to a home network of the inbound roaming user device. The method also includes identifying, by the network device, a PLMN selected by the inbound roaming user device, and accessing a listing of allowed PLMNs and disallowed PLMNs for roaming in the shared network. The method includes determining whether the selected PLMN is an allowed PLMN and blocking the connection to the home network in response to a determination that the selected PLMN is not an allowed PLMN.
Claims20
A computer-implemented method comprising:
- receiving, at a network device in a shared network that includes a plurality of public land mobile networks (PLMNs) that broadcast within a particular area, a request from an inbound roaming user device in the shared network to connect to a home network of the inbound roaming user device, wherein the home network is external to the shared network;
- identifying, by the network device, a PLMN selected by the inbound roaming user device from among the plurality of PLMNs in the shared network;
- accessing a listing of allowed PLMNs and disallowed PLMNs for roaming in the shared network;
- determining whether the selected PLMN is an allowed PLMN;
- and
- blocking the connection to the home network in response to a determination that the selected PLMN is not an allowed PLMN.
A network device in a shared network that includes a plurality of public land mobile networks (PLMNs) that broadcast within a particular area, comprising:
- a memory to store a plurality of instructions;
- and
- a processor configured to execute instructions in the memory to:
- receive, from an inbound roaming user device in the shared network, a request to connect to a home network of the inbound roaming user device, wherein the home network is external to the shared network;
- identify a PLMN selected by the inbound roaming user device from among the plurality of PLMNs in the shared network;
- access a listing of allowed PLMNs and disallowed PLMNs for roaming in the shared network;
- determine whether the selected PLMN is an allowed PLMN;
- and
- block the connection to the home network in response to a determination that the selected PLMN is not an allowed PLMN.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions to be executed by a processor in a leased network that includes a service provider, and a lessee service provider wherein the lessee service provider leases a radio access network (RAN), and an evolved packet core (EPC) from the service provider and supplies lessee subscribers from a same set of international mobile subscriber identities (IMSIs) as provided to subscribers of the service provider, the instructions including one or more instructions, when executed by the processor, for causing the processor to:
- receive, from an inbound roaming user device in the leased network, a request to connect to a home network of the inbound roaming user device, wherein the home network is external to the leased network;
- identify a public land mobile network (PLMN) in the leased network selected by the inbound roaming user device from among a plurality of PLMNs that broadcast within a particular area in the leased network;
- access a listing of allowed PLMNs and disallowed PLMNs for roaming in the leased network;
- determine whether the selected PLMN is an allowed PLMN;
- and
- block the connection to the home network in response to a determination that the selected PLMN is not an allowed PLMN.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.