UE SOR Security Check for Anti-Roaming Network Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Anti-Steering of Roaming (Anti-SoR) techniques employed by visited networks result in revenue losses for home networks, necessitating a method to manage Steering of Roaming (SOR) information effectively.

Innovation Solution

A method and user equipment (UE) for managing SOR information in an automatic network selection mode, involving receiving SOR information from a first visitor public land mobile network (VPLMN) and determining the security check's success, allowing the UE to continue services from the HPLMN if successful, switch to a second VPLMN if unsuccessful, and automatically trigger registration to a second VPLMN if the security check fails.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the visited network uses anti-Steering of Roaming techniques to prevent roaming UEs from moving away, then the visited network can maintain roaming UEs on the visited network, but the home network suffers revenue losses

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroaming UE retention on visited networkVSAvoidrevenue loss for home network
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The UE performs security verification on SOR information before applying it, and only applies verified SOR information to steer roaming. This preliminary verification action prevents anti-SoR techniques from successfully tampering with SOR information, as the UE will detect the tampering and reject the invalid SOR information, thereby protecting home network revenue while allowing legitimate roaming steering to function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where the UE verifies SOR information security and provides feedback by either applying or rejecting the SOR information based on verification results. This feedback loop allows the network to understand whether SOR information is being successfully tampered with and adjust accordingly, resolving the contradiction between maintaining roaming UEs and preventing revenue loss

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Loss of energy

If the UE automatically triggers registration to a second VPLMN when SOR information security check fails, then the UE can avoid excessive charging and revenue losses, but additional signaling and network resources are consumed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverevenue loss preventionVSAvoidnetwork signaling overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The UE changes its network selection behavior based on the security verification result of SOR information. When verification fails, the UE changes the parameter of network registration by automatically triggering registration to an alternative VPLMN from the stored list, rather than continuing to use the current visited network. This parameter change prevents revenue loss while the signaling overhead is justified as a security measure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3861778B1Method and UE for managing SOR information in wireless communication network
Publication Date: 2026.02.18 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3861778B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3861778B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3861778B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

Embodiments herein disclose a method for managing SOR information by UE in an automatic network selection mode in a wireless communication network. The method includes receiving the SOR information from one of a first VPLMN and a HPLMN and determining whether a SOR information security check is successful and the UE is camped on one of the first VPLMN and the HPLMN and performing one of: continuing to receive services from the HPLMN on determining that the UE is camped on the HPLMN irrespective of the SOR information security check, continuing to receive services from the first VPLMN on determining that the UE is camped on the first VPLMN and that the SOR information security check is successful, and automatically triggering a registration to a second VPLMN available on determining that the UE is camped on the first VPLMN and that the SOR information security check is unsuccessful.