Global local SIM

A communication system comprising:

• a telephone network having a mobile communication switching center;
• a plurality of subscriber terminals;
• routing logic;
• and
• a plurality of wireless access points located in different countries, wherein each of the subscriber terminals is identified by only one telephone number, the telephone numbers being selected from a block of telephone numbers in international format, but which have not been allocated to any particular country, the wireless access points being configured to pass signals from any subscriber terminal having a telephone number within the block via the routing logic on to the mobile communication switching center, wherein each of the subscriber terminals contains only one corresponding SIM card, only one IMSI and only one MSISDN identifying the mobile terminal as having only one telephone number within the said block of telephone numbers and common to all of the different countries,
• wherein:
• at least one of the wireless access points is part of infrastructure of a second telephone network;
• and
• said second telephone network has a second plurality of subscribers, the second telephone network comprising:
• its own home location register for maintaining location data of mobile terminals of the second plurality of subscribers;
• and
• a second mobile communication switching center for routing communications originating from the second plurality of subscribers.

A method for providing communications for mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) subscribers, the method comprising:

• (a) assigning only one telephone number out of a block of telephone numbers in international format to each of the MVNO subscribers, wherein each MVNO subscriber has only one corresponding SIM card, only one corresponding international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), and only one corresponding mobile station international subscriber directory number (MSISDN);
• and
• (b) arranging for a plurality of mobile network operators (MNOs) in a plurality of geographical areas to provide each MVNO subscriber with local access to each MNO, such that:
• (1) when an MVNO subscriber is in a first geographical area, a first MNO in the first geographical area provides the MVNO subscriber with local access to the first MNO based on the corresponding SIM card, the corresponding IMSI, and the corresponding MSISDN of the MVNO subscriber;
• and
• (2) when the MVNO subscriber is in a second geographical area, different from the first geographical area, a second MNO in the second geographical area provides the MVNO subscriber with local access to the second MNO based on the corresponding SIM card, the corresponding IMSI, and the corresponding MSISDN of the MVNO subscriber, wherein:
• the second MNO does not provide subscribers of the first MNO with local access to the second MNO;
• and
• the first MNO does not provide subscribers of the second MNO with local access to the first MNO,
• wherein, pursuant to the arrangement of step (b):
• when the MVNO subscriber places a call in the first geographical area, the first MNO routes the call to a mobile communication switching center (MCSC) of the MVNO;
• and
• when the MVNO subscriber places a call in the second geographical area, the second MNO routes the call to the MCSC of the MVNO.