Signal Packet Relay System for Roaming Agreement Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobile communication technologies face challenges in extending roaming coverage for network operators, particularly for smaller operators who lack the resources to establish and maintain bilateral roaming agreements with larger operators, leading to limited services for inbound and outbound roamers.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that allows a client network to piggyback on a host network's existing roaming relationships with Host Supported Roaming Partner (HSRP) networks, enabling the exchange of signaling messages to facilitate roaming services without requiring direct bilateral agreements, using a Signal Packet Relay System (SPRS) with an SPRS router and hub to determine and manage required roaming agreements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a small network operator establishes bilateral roaming agreements with large network operators, then roaming coverage and services are improved, but the complexity and cost of establishing and maintaining these agreements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a broker network operator as an intermediary that establishes a single multilateral roaming agreement on behalf of multiple small network operators. This broker acts as a mediator between small operators and large network operators, eliminating the need for each small operator to negotiate separate bilateral agreements. The broker's single agreement covers multiple operators, thereby reducing agreement management complexity while maintaining expanded roaming coverage.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a small network operator establishes bilateral roaming agreements, then roaming services are enabled, but the time and resources required for commercial agreements, IREG tests, and TADIG tests increase
Solution Approach 1:
The broker network operator performs all necessary commercial agreement negotiations, IREG tests, and TADIG tests in advance with large network operators before small network operators need roaming services. This preliminary action establishes ready-to-use roaming frameworks that small operators can immediately access without undergoing time-consuming negotiation and testing processes themselves.
Solution Approach 2:
The broker acts as an intermediary that absorbs the time-consuming processes of commercial agreement establishment, IREG testing, and TADIG testing. Small network operators bypass these processes entirely by accessing roaming services through the broker's pre-established agreements, thereby dramatically reducing the time and resources required for agreement establishment.
3Reliability
If a network operator establishes multiple bilateral roaming agreements to provide comprehensive services, then service quality for roamers is improved, but the cost of maintaining these agreements increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate bilateral roaming agreements into a single multilateral agreement managed by the broker. Instead of each small operator maintaining separate agreements with multiple large operators, the broker consolidates these into one comprehensive agreement that provides equivalent or superior service quality across all participating networks, thereby reducing maintenance costs.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for facilitating exchange of one or more signaling messages between a client network and an HSRP network. The method includes identifying by an SPRS router associated with a client network, one or more parameters in the received signaling messages so as to determine from the parameters one or more roaming agreements that are required between the client network and the HSRP network, to allow exchange of the signaling messages. The method further includes facilitating by the SPRS router, exchange of the signaling messages between the client network and the HSRP network via one or more SPRS hubs, when the SPRS router determines absence of the required roaming agreements. The method further includes facilitating by the SPRS router, direct exchange of the signaling messages between the client network and the HSRP network, when the SPRS router determines presence of the required roaming agreements.