System and method for offloading traffic from cellular networks

A mobile computing device that includes a processor and memory, the mobile computing device being adapted to perform a method for offloading data traffic sent over a cellular network to the mobile computing device, the method comprising:

• providing a plugin host as part of an operating system on the mobile computing device and a plurality of authentication components, which are plugins coupled to the plugin host, wherein the plurality of authentication components are associated with different mobile operator-specific logic;
• transmitting from the plugin host to the plugins, detected wireless networks;
• retrieving from an authentication component within the mobile computing device, first information identifying one or more preferred wireless networks selected from the detected wireless networks;
• connecting the mobile computing device to the identified preferred wireless network;
• requesting authentication of the mobile computing device on the identified preferred wireless network, based on second information associated with the mobile computing device or a user of the mobile computing device, the first information and the second information within the authentication component;
• and
• upon successful authentication, offloading at least a portion of the data traffic to the identified preferred wireless network.

A computer-readable storage medium including instructions that upon execution cause a mobile computing device to:

• receive from at least one of a plurality of available wireless networks, a query for selecting one of a plurality of authentication components within the mobile computing device, wherein the authentication components include logic associated with a corresponding mobile operator and wherein the authentication components are plugins to an operating system of the mobile computing device;
• select the authentication component from the plurality of available authentication components based on a received positive query response;
• retrieve from the authentication component within the mobile computing device, first information identifying one or more preferred wireless networks;
• detect one of the one or more preferred wireless networks as one of the plurality of available wireless networks;
• connect the mobile computing device to the detected preferred wireless network;
• request authentication of the mobile computing device on the detected preferred wireless network, based on second information associated with the mobile computing device or a user of the mobile computing device, the first information and the second information within the authentication component;
• and
• upon successful authentication, offload at least a portion of the data traffic to the detected preferred wireless network.