Network selection in a shared network environment

A core network element, comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory comprising computer program code stored therein to be executed at least partly by the at least one processor and causes, upon execution, the net-work element at least to perform a selection of a public land mobile network identity in a shared network environment in a context of circuit-switched fallback, in which environment at least two public land mobile network identities are available for providing circuit switched based service to a user equipment,
• wherein the core network element is configured to
• determine a capability of the user equipment with respect to utilizing broadcast system information, the core network element being configured to acquire information on an identity of the user equipment through exchange of information between the core network element and the user equipment and to inquire the capability information on the user equipment from a database by means of at least part of the acquired information on the identity of the user equipment, and
• select the public land mobile network identity at least partly on the basis of the capability of the user equipment among the at least two public land mobile network identities, such that a common public land mobile network identity is selected where a determination is made that the user equipment does not support information relating to network sharing within system broadcast information, and a multiple public land mobile identity is selected where a determination is made that the user equipment supports information relating to network sharing within system broadcast information.

A telecommunication system, comprising:

• a packet switched network;
• and
• a shared network, in which at least two public land mobile network identities are available for providing circuit switched based service to a user equipment, the packet switched network and the shared network being configured to interwork with each other,
• wherein for selecting a public land mobile network identity, in a context of circuit-switched fallback, a core network element of the packet switched network is configured to
• determine a capability of the user equipment with respect to utilizing broadcast system information, the core network element being configured to acquire information on an identity of the user equipment through exchange of information between the core network element and the user equipment and to inquire the capability information on the user equipment from a database by means of at least part of the acquired information on the identity of the user equipment,
• select the public land mobile network identity at least partly on the basis of the capability of the user equipment among the at least two public land mobile network identities, a common public land mobile network identity being selected where a determination is made that the user equipment does not support information relating to network sharing within system broadcast information, and a multiple public land mobile identity being selected where a determination is made that the user equipment supports information relating to network sharing within system broadcast information, and
• allocate the user equipment to a location area by means of a location area identifier comprising information on the selected public land mobile network identity in order to provide circuit switched based ser-vice to the user equipment within the shared network.