RAN Roaming Prevention via Targeted Service Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless service providers face economic inefficiencies due to roaming agreements, where they incur fees for using non-preferred wireless coverage areas, and users may experience reduced access to services during roaming.
Innovation Solution
A wireless service provider can determine when its subscribed devices are likely to roam and proactively enhance service quality in preferred coverage areas by adjusting communication parameters, such as increasing air interface channel power and modifying paging procedures, to reduce the likelihood of handoffs to non-preferred areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a wireless service provider allows WCDs to roam to non-preferred coverage areas to maintain continuous coverage, then coverage continuity is improved, but roaming fees increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by analyzing historical roaming data to identify WCDs likely to roam before the roaming event occurs. The RAN then proactively adjusts communication parameters and service quality in advance to prevent roaming, thereby avoiding roaming fees while maintaining coverage continuity through preferred network areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring WCD behavior, analyzing roaming patterns from historical data, and using this information to dynamically adjust communication parameters. The feedback loop enables the RAN to identify at-risk WCDs and apply preventive measures, resolving the contradiction between maintaining coverage and avoiding roaming fees.
2Reliability
If a wireless service provider increases service quality for at-risk WCDs by boosting air interface channel power, then service quality is improved, but network resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by providing enhanced service quality measures specifically to identified at-risk WCDs rather than uniformly to all WCDs. The RAN selectively adjusts communication parameters such as air interface channel power only for WCDs with high roaming likelihood, based on their historical behavior patterns, thereby improving service quality where needed while minimizing overall network resource consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes parameter changes by dynamically adjusting communication parameters including air interface channel power, paging parameters, and other transmission settings for specific at-risk WCDs. These targeted parameter modifications improve service quality for vulnerable users without requiring sustained high resource consumption across the entire network.
3Loss of energy
If a wireless service provider adjusts communication parameters proactively to prevent roaming, then roaming is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by enabling the RAN to automatically analyze roaming data, identify at-risk WCDs, and adjust communication parameters without requiring complex external intervention. The system uses its own historical data and built-in analysis capabilities to make autonomous decisions, reducing the need for additional complex management infrastructure while achieving roaming reduction.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for reducing the usage of non-preferred wireless coverage areas are presented. In particular, a RAN may determine that a WCD is likely to begin roaming. The WCD may be served by a preferred wireless coverage area and may be likely to roam to a non-preferred wireless coverage area. In an effort to avoid drawbacks associated with letting the WCD roam, the RAN may grant the WCD one or more forms of increased service quality. Doing so may prevent the WCD from roaming.