MVNO Roaming Connectivity with Agreement-Based Usage Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Heavy mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) face challenges in setting up roaming mobile wireless data services for user equipment (UE) devices, particularly IoT appliances, when they are outside the coverage of the primary MNO or require secondary MNO support without a direct contract, necessitating efficient management of roaming data services with usage limiting terms.
Innovation Solution
A core network element of the primary MNO manages roaming data services for MVNO UE devices by applying usage limiting terms through a diameter routing algorithm (DRA) and steering of roaming (SoR) module, which identifies and enforces agreement-based policies and filters to ensure compliance with roaming agreements, facilitating tunnel-supported data sessions between the UE and the MVNO's packet gateway.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the heavy MVNO relies on a primary MNO's RAN infrastructure and IMSI blocks, then the MVNO can provide mobile wireless data services without owning RAN infrastructure, but the MVNO cannot provide services in geographic areas not served by the primary MNO or when secondary MNO support is required without direct contracts
Solution Approach 1:
The primary MNO acts as an intermediary between the MVNO and secondary MNOs. The core network element of the primary MNO receives connection requests from secondary MNOs, applies usage filtering based on agreements with the MVNO, and forwards approved requests to the MVNO. This intermediary arrangement enables the MVNO to access secondary MNO networks without establishing direct contracts, resolving the contradiction between ease of service provision and adaptability to different geographic areas.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the MVNO establishes direct data service contracts with multiple secondary MNOs to expand coverage, then the MVNO can provide services in areas served by secondary MNOs, but the complexity of managing multiple contracts and agreements increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The primary MNO's core network element serves multiple functions: it acts as the MVNO's home network, manages roaming agreements with multiple secondary MNOs, applies usage filtering for different MVNOs, and routes connection requests appropriately. This universal approach allows a single agreement between the primary MNO and MVNO to enable roaming across multiple secondary MNOs, eliminating the need for the MVNO to establish separate contracts with each secondary MNO and significantly reducing contractual complexity.
3Ease of operation
If the primary MNO forwards all connection requests from secondary MNOs to the MVNO without filtering, then the MVNO receives all roaming requests, but the MVNO cannot enforce usage limiting terms from agreements without a direct contract with the secondary MNO
Solution Approach 1:
The core network element of the primary MNO performs preliminary filtering of connection requests before forwarding them to the MVNO. It applies usage filtering based on agreements with the MVNO, evaluating whether the requesting UE is authorized to access the secondary MNO network and whether usage limits would be exceeded. This preliminary action ensures that only authorized requests reach the MVNO, enabling the MVNO to enforce usage limiting terms reliably even without direct contracts with secondary MNOs.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method are described that are carried out by a core network element of a primary network operator (NO) to manage agreement-based limited usage of roaming mobile wireless data services of a secondary mobile network operator (MNO) by roaming user equipment (UE) devices of a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) in accordance with usage limiting terms arising from an agreement between the primary NO and the MVNO. The method includes maintaining a roaming usage filter definition arising from the agreement between the primary NO and the MVNO. The core network element receives a connection request message from the secondary MNO for a roaming UE device for which the agreement is applicable. The core network element applies usage limiting terms of the roaming usage filter definition to the connection request, and forwards the connection request to the MVNO in accordance with a result of the applying that indicates usage limiting terms are not exceeded by a current measure of roaming mobile wireless data services by UE devices of the MVNO.