UICC PLMN Selection Mode Storage for Roaming Cost Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cellular communication networks, as specified by 3GPP, do not effectively handle scenarios where a user changes Universal Integrated Circuit Cards (UICC) during manual PLMN selection, leading to potential increased charges due to automatic selection of different PLMNs in roaming areas and limited service states.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an Elementary File (EF) in the UICC that includes a PLMN selection mode, allowing the UE to fetch and apply this mode for selecting the appropriate PLMN, and enabling automatic mode switching when the UICC is changed, ensuring seamless communication and minimizing charges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the UE operates in automatic PLMN selection mode, then the PLMN selection process is simplified and fast, but the user may be charged higher rates due to automatic selection of different PLMNs in roaming areas
Solution Approach 1:
The EF_PlmnMode file stores the user's preferred PLMN selection mode (manual or automatic) and the selected PLMN identity in advance. When a new UICC is inserted, the UE reads this pre-stored information and automatically configures the PLMN selection behavior accordingly, preventing the user from being charged higher rates while maintaining ease of operation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the UE operates in manual PLMN selection mode, then the user can select the preferred PLMN to minimize charges, but the device may remain in limited service state when UICC is changed
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by storing the user's PLMN selection mode preference and selected PLMN identity in the EF_PlmnMode file on the UICC. When the UICC is changed or the UE is powered on, the UE reads this feedback information and automatically configures the PLMN selection mode and selected PLMN, ensuring service availability while maintaining the user's charge-minimizing preferences.
3Device complexity
If the UE does not store PLMN selection mode information, then the device complexity is reduced, but the user experience deteriorates when UICC is changed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the PLMN selection mode and selected PLMN identity information from the UE's internal memory and stores it in the EF_PlmnMode file on the UICC card itself. This allows the information to travel with the UICC, ensuring that when the UICC is changed or inserted into a different UE, the PLMN selection preferences are automatically transferred and applied, improving adaptability without significantly increasing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of selecting a public land mobile network (PLMN) for enabling a user equipment (UE) to communicate and a user equipment are provided. The method includes checking, by the UE, whether an elementary file (EF) is present in a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) inserted in the UE, if the UE initiates a procedure for selecting a PLMN, wherein the EF includes a PLMN selection mode; and selecting, by the UE, a PLMN based on the PLMN selection mode. The UE is configured to check if an EF is present in a UICC inserted in the UE, if the UE initiates a procedure for selecting a PLMN, wherein the EF includes a PLMN selection mode; and select a PLMN based on the PLMN selection mode.