Wireless communication systems have become an important means by which many people worldwide have come to communicate. A wireless communication system may provide communication for a plurality of wireless devices, each of which may be serviced by an access node of the communication system.
Generally, a wireless customer subscribes to a wireless communication system managed by a network operator and has the ability to roam to other wireless communication systems. The wireless customer may also subscribe to other wireless communication systems managed by the same network operator or by other network operators. Network operators would generally reach roaming agreements with other network operators to allow their subscribers to roam to other wireless communication systems.
It may be desirable for a network operator to manage a wireless subscriber when roaming into other wireless communication systems. For example, when the wireless subscriber roams into an area served by a second communication system, managed by a second network operator, the second network operator may charge the subscriber's network operator charges associated with the roaming usage. Depending on the subscription agreement between the wireless subscriber and the subscriber's network operator, the charges associated with the roaming usage may or may not be passed along to the wireless subscriber. Thus, it may be beneficial for a network operator, and/or its wireless subscribers, to minimize charges associated with roaming.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds