Disaster Roaming Return Control for Seamless UE Service Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication networks face challenges in maintaining service continuity during disasters, such as fires or earthquakes, where multiple network installations in a single data center or a single operator's network loss can lead to widespread service interruptions, and post-disaster roaming can cause sudden service disruptions.
Innovation Solution
A method for user equipment (UE) to receive a Configuration Update Command indicating the end of a disaster condition, allowing it to gracefully transition back to its original network after completing services with a disaster roaming network, ensuring seamless service continuity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If UE immediately returns to original network as soon as disaster situation ends, then service continuity is improved, but service interruption occurs due to abrupt network transition
Solution Approach 1:
The network performs preliminary actions by sending Configuration Update Command messages to the UE before the actual network transition. This allows the UE to prepare for network return in advance, ensuring smooth transition without abrupt interruptions. The network notifies the UE of the end of disaster condition and provides configuration information beforehand, enabling the UE to execute a planned return procedure rather than an abrupt switch.
Solution Approach 2:
The network implements feedback mechanisms by monitoring disaster condition status and sending Configuration Update Command messages to inform UEs of the end of disaster conditions. This feedback loop allows the network to control the timing and conditions of network return, ensuring UEs only transition when appropriate, thereby preventing service interruptions while maintaining continuity.
2Reliability
If multiple core network nodes are installed in one data center for backup, then service availability is improved, but vulnerability increases when disaster occurs in that region
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the network by enabling UEs to roam to different PLMNs (Public Land Mobile Networks) when disaster conditions are detected. Instead of relying on multiple nodes in a single data center, the network is divided into multiple independent PLMN entities distributed across different regions. This segmentation ensures that a local disaster affecting one PLMN cannot down the entire network, as UEs can switch to other PLMNs for continued service.
Solution Approach 2:
The network acts as an intermediary by implementing disaster roaming mechanisms that mediate between the home PLMN and visited PLMNs. When a disaster occurs, the network facilitates controlled roaming of UEs to visited PLMNs, providing a transition mechanism that maintains service continuity without requiring all nodes to be physically replicated everywhere. The roaming framework serves as an intermediary solution that distributes risk across multiple network entities.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a method for supporting service continuity when a disaster situation ends, and a device supporting same. A user equipment (UE) receives, from a disaster roaming PLMN, a configuration update command message including information indicating that a disaster condition of a home PLMN (HPLMN) has ended. The UE waits until a service that is being received from the disaster roaming PLMN ends, and performs, after the service that is being received from the disaster roaming PLMN ends, a procedure of deregistration from the disaster roaming PLMN on the basis of information indicating that the disaster condition of the HPLMN has ended.