RIC-Guided Intelligent Roaming for Edge Coverage Continuity
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing telecommunications networks experience poor and unreliable data transmission for users at the edge of their coverage areas, leading to intermittent service and resource drain, as conventional roaming only occurs when the home network signal drops to zero, failing to leverage stronger signals from visited networks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing intelligent roaming methods using radio access network intelligent controllers (RICs) that monitor performance and proactively switch UEs to visited networks before the home network signal weakens, ensuring seamless transitions and continuous service.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional roaming is implemented (switching to visited network only when home network signal drops to zero), then network complexity is reduced and roaming agreements are simplified, but service reliability deteriorates and data transmission becomes intermittent at coverage edges
Solution Approach 1:
The RIC proactively pushes UEs to roam to visited networks before the home network signal drops to zero, based on predicted coverage conditions. This preliminary action prevents service interruptions by establishing roaming connectivity in advance, resolving the contradiction between service reliability and control complexity through intelligent prediction and early intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a closed-loop feedback mechanism where the RIC monitors UE performance metrics, signal strength, and coverage conditions in real-time. Based on this feedback, the RIC dynamically decides when to push UEs for roaming, adjusting roaming control decisions based on actual network conditions to maintain service reliability while optimizing control complexity.
2Productivity
If UEs remain on home network at coverage edges, then roaming control mechanisms are simplified, but resource efficiency deteriorates due to repeated data transmissions and network drain
Solution Approach 1:
The RIC performs preliminary assessment of UE performance and coverage conditions to identify UEs that would benefit from roaming before actual service degradation occurs. This proactive approach improves data transmission efficiency by preventing intermittent connections and repeated transmissions, while the automated decision-making process maintains operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service roaming management where the RIC autonomously monitors network conditions, evaluates UE performance, and executes roaming decisions without manual intervention. This self-service mechanism improves productivity by optimizing data transmission routes while maintaining ease of operation through automated processes that require minimal human management.
3Reliability
If proactive roaming push is implemented based on performance monitoring, then service reliability improves with seamless transitions, but system complexity increases due to intelligent control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The RIC acts as an intermediary intelligent controller between the home network and visited network, mediating roaming decisions based on monitored performance metrics. This intermediary approach improves data transmission reliability by making informed roaming decisions, while consolidating control logic in a single intelligent entity manages the complexity rather than distributing it across multiple components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes roaming parameters (such as signal strength thresholds, performance metrics, and roaming triggers) based on real-time network conditions and UE behavior patterns. This parameter adaptation improves reliability by optimizing roaming decisions for current conditions, while the ability to adjust parameters provides flexibility that manages system complexity through configurable rather than hard-coded logic.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure is directed to methods and system for intelligent roaming of user equipment (“UE”) of a home network onto a visited network. The methods and systems monitor performance of voice and data services for UEs in coverage areas of edge cell sites of the home network. The methods and systems determine which UEs in the coverage areas of the edge cell sites to roam on the visited network based on decreases in voice and data services. The UEs in the coverage areas selected for roaming are pushed to roam on the visited network by sending a signal that instructs selected UEs to switch into roaming mode while the UEs are still in the coverage areas of the edge cell sites.