Network-based intelligent radio access control

A method comprising:

• storing, by a radio access technology selection system, in a network database repository, historic network load information associated with a historic network load experienced by a plurality of radio access networks to which a target mobile device is capable of connecting, the plurality of radio access networks operating in accordance with a plurality of radio access technologies;
• identifying, by the radio access technology selection system, based upon the historic network load information, network load trends for at least a portion of the plurality of radio access networks;
• determining, by the radio access technology selection system, based upon the network load trends, a first time during which there is predicted to be a favorable network load capable of supporting communications associated with the target mobile device;
• determining, by the radio access technology selection system, based upon the network load trends, a second time during which there is predicted to be a non-favorable network load incapable of supporting communications associated with the target mobile device;
• receiving, at the radio access technology selection system, a policy;
• receiving, at the radio access technology selection system, current network load information from the plurality of radio access networks to which the target mobile device is capable of connecting;
• identifying, by the radio access technology selection system, a first application, executable by the target mobile device, that requires connectivity to at least one of the plurality of radio access networks;
• identifying, by the radio access technology selection system, a second application, executable by the target mobile device, that requires connectivity to at least one of the plurality of radio access networks;
• selecting, by the radio access technology selection system, for the first application, a first radio access network of the plurality of radio access networks based upon the first time during which there is predicted to be the favorable network load capable of supporting communications with the target mobile device, the second time during which there is predicted to be the non-favorable network load incapable of supporting communications associated with the target mobile device, the policy and the current network load information;
• selecting, by the radio access technology selection system, for the second application, a second radio access network of the plurality of radio access networks based upon the first time during which there is predicted to be the favorable network load capable of supporting communications with the target mobile device, the second time during which there is predicted to be the non-favorable network load incapable of supporting communications associated with the target mobile device, the policy, and the current network load information;
• generating, by the radio access technology selection system, a network selection directed to the target mobile device, the network selection instructing the target mobile device to connect to the first radio access network for using the first application and to connect to the second radio access network for using the second application;
• and
• sending, by the radio access technology selection system, the network selection to the target mobile device.

A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

• causing to be stored in a network database repository, historic network load information associated with a historic network load experienced by a plurality of radio access networks to which a target mobile device is capable of connecting, the plurality of radio access networks operating in accordance with a plurality of radio access technologies;
• identifying, based upon the historic network load information, network load trends for at least a portion of the plurality of radio access networks;
• determining, based upon the network load trends, a first time during which there is predicted to be a favorable network load capable of supporting communications associated with the target mobile device;
• determining, based upon the network load trends, a second time during which there is predicted to be a non-favorable network load incapable of supporting communications associated with the target mobile device;
• receiving a policy specifying conditions under which to select each radio access technology of the plurality of radio access technologies utilized by the plurality of radio access networks to which the target mobile device is capable of connecting;
• receiving a user profile associated with a user of the target mobile device;
• collecting current network load information from the plurality of radio access networks to which the target mobile device is capable of connecting;
• identifying a first application, executable by the target mobile device, that requires connectivity to at least one of the plurality of radio access networks;
• identifying a second application, executable by the target mobile device, that requires connectivity to at least one of the plurality of radio access networks;
• selecting, for the first application, a first radio access network of the plurality of radio access networks based upon the first time during which there is predicted to be the favorable network load capable of supporting communications associated with the target mobile device, the second time during which there is predicted to be the non-favorable network load incapable of supporting communications associated with the target mobile device, the policy, the current network load information, and the user profile;
• selecting, for the second application, a second radio access network of the plurality of radio access networks based upon the first time during which there is predicted to be the favorable network load capable of supporting communications with the target mobile device, the second time during which there is predicted to be the non-favorable network load incapable of supporting communications associated with the target mobile device, the policy, and the current network load information;
• generating a network selection directed to the target mobile device, the network selection instructing the target mobile device to connect to the first radio access network for using the first application and to connect to the second radio access network for using the second application;
• and
• sending the network selection to the target mobile device.