2
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] The present subject matter relates to establishing communication in a roaming
region and, particularly, but not exclusively, for identifying a foreign service provider providing
telecommunication services in a roaming region.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Cellular service providers offer a variety of cellular services, for example, voice
calling, data calling, short messaging service (SMS), multimedia messaging service (MMS),
mobile internet, and the like, to users all around the world. A user, in order to avail any of the
aforementioned cellular services, registers with a service provider of the cellular services and
subscribes to the cellular services which are of interest to the user. Typically, a geographical
region in which the user registers with the service provider is known as a home region of the user
and the service provider is known as a home service provider. In order to use any of the cellular
services in the home region, the user typically connects to a wireless network of the service
provider with which the user is registered. However, when a user is in a roaming region, i.e.,
outside the home region, the cellular services are usually rendered by a foreign service provider
present in the roaming region, which may or may not be same as the home service provider.
SUMMARY
[0003] This summary is provided to introduce concepts related to identifying a foreign
service provider in a roaming region. This summary is not intended to identify essential features
of the claimed subject matter nor is it intended for use in determining or limiting the scope of the
claimed subject matter.
[0004] In one implementation, a method for establishing communication through a
foreign service provider in a roaming region is disclosed. The method comprises, obtaining a
cellular service profile associated with a user entering the roaming region, wherein the cellular
service profile indicates usage of one or more cellular services availed by the user. The method
further comprises, retrieving foreign service provider data, wherein the foreign service provider
data includes a tariff plan of each of one or more foreign service providers operating in the
roaming region. Further, a prospective service usage expense, for each of the one or more foreign
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service providers, is computed based on the obtained cellular service profile and the foreign
service provider data, wherein the prospective service usage expense indicates probable expenses
incurred by the user for using the cellular services rendered by the foreign service provider in the
roaming region. The method further comprises, generating a Preferred Roaming List (PRL)
comprising an indication of the one or more foreign service providers. Further, the PRL is
rendered to a user device of the user for establishing communication through the foreign service
provider in the roaming region.
[0005] In another implementation, a roaming management system (RMS) is disclosed.
The RMS includes a processor and a service module coupled to the processor. The service
module obtains a cellular service profile associated with a user entering a roaming region,
wherein the cellular service profile indicates usage of one or more cellular services availed by
the user. The service module further retrieves foreign service provider data, wherein the foreign
service provider data includes a tariff plan of each of one or more foreign service providers
operating in the roaming region. The RMS further includes an analysis module coupled to the
processor. The analysis module computes, for each of the one or more foreign service providers,
a prospective service usage expense based on the obtained cellular service profile and the foreign
service provider data. The prospective service usage expense indicates probable expenses
incurred by the user for using the cellular services rendered by the foreign service provider in the
roaming region. The analysis module further generates a preferred roaming list (PRL)
comprising an indication of the one or more foreign service providers. The analysis module
further renders the PRL to a user device of the user for establishing communication through a
foreign service provider in the roaming region.
[0006] In accordance with another implementation of the present subject matter, a
computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program for executing a
method for determining for establishing communication through a foreign service provider in a
roaming region is described. The method comprises, obtaining a cellular service profile
associated with a user entering the roaming region, wherein the cellular service profile indicates
usage of one or more cellular services availed by the user. The method further comprises,
retrieving foreign service provider data, wherein the foreign service provider data includes a
tariff plan of each of one or more foreign service providers operating in the roaming region.
Further, a prospective service usage expense, for each of the one or more foreign service
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providers, is computed based on the obtained cellular service profile and the foreign service
provider data, wherein the prospective service usage expense indicates probable expenses
incurred by the user for using the cellular services rendered by the foreign service provider in the
roaming region. The method further comprises, generating a preferred roaming list (PRL)
comprising an indication of the one or more foreign service providers. Further, the PRL is
rendered to a user device of the user for establishing communication through the foreign service
provider in the roaming region.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0007] The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures.
In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the
reference number first appears. The same numbers are used throughout the figures to reference
like features and components. Some embodiments of systems and/or methods in accordance with
embodiments of the present subject matter are now described, by way of example only, and with
reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
[0008] Figure 1 illustrates a network environment implementation of a system for
identifying a foreign service provider providing telecommunication services in a roaming region,
according to an embodiment of the present subject matter;
[0009] Figure 2 illustrates a roaming management system for identifying a foreign
service provider providing telecommunication services in a roaming region, according to an
embodiment of the present subject matter; and
[0010] Figure 3 illustrates a method for identifying a foreign service provider providing
telecommunication services in a roaming region, according to an embodiment of the present
subject matter.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0011] A service provider offering cellular services, for example, voice calling, data
calling, short messaging service, multimedia messaging service, and the like, to users typically
offers such services through a wireless communication network. In order to avail the services
offered by the service provider, a user typically registers with the service provider, hereinafter
referred to as a home service provider. Further, a geographical region in which the user registers
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with the home service provider is referred to as a home region. Upon successful registration, the
wireless communication network of the home service provider serves as a home network to the
user and the user may avail the services by connecting to the home network through a
corresponding mobile device. Further, the cellular services may be offered by different service
providers in regions other than the home region of the user.
[0012] In certain cases, where the user moves to a roaming region, i.e., a geographical
region outside the home region of the user, the user avails the cellular services through any of a
plurality of foreign service providers operating in the roaming region. The foreign service
provider may be understood as a service provider offering cellular services in a roaming region
over a wireless communication network, herein after referred to as a roaming network.
[0013] The foreign service provider to which the mobile device connects is typically
determined based on a preferred roaming list (PRL) stored in the mobile device. The PRL may
be understood as a list including names and data related to the foreign service providers
providing cellular services in a roaming region. The PRL is typically determined by the home
service provider and generally enlists the foreign service providers in decreasing order of
connectivity preference. Thus, the mobile device typically attempts to connect with a foreign
service provider enlisted at the top of the PRL and attempts connecting to other service providers
only upon failing to connect to the first foreign service provider.
[0014] In one conventional approach, connectivity preference of the foreign service
providers enlisted in the PRL is determined based on network sharing agreements between the
home service provider and the foreign service provider. In said approach, the foreign service
provider with the most favorable network sharing agreement is given the highest connectivity
preference. As a result, all the users registered with the home network who are visiting the
roaming region are automatically connected to a specific foreign service provider which appears
in the highest position in the PRL.
[0015] In certain cases, the tariff plan of the foreign service provider may not be suitable
for the user's usage of the cellular services and thus may not be cost effective for the user. For
instance, the foreign service provider with the highest connectivity preference may have a high
tariff for voice calls. Thus a user with high usage of voice calls may end up bearing high
expenses in the roaming region.
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[0016] The present subject matter discloses systems and methods for identifying a
foreign service provider in a roaming region. According to an embodiment of the present subject
matter, the preferred roaming list (PRL) is generated based on prospective cellular service usage
of a user. In said embodiment, a prospective service usage expense indicating probable expense
for each cellular service that may be availed by the user when connected to a foreign service
provider in the roaming region is computed. Subsequently, the PRL is ascertained based on the
prospective service usage expense corresponding to each of the foreign service provider
operating in the roaming region and a foreign service provider with the lowest prospective
service usage expense is ascertained to be the most preferred network. Ascertaining the PRL
based on the cellular service usage of the user helps in reducing prospective service usage
expenses of the user as the user may now connect to a foreign service provider having the lowest
prospective service usage expense. Further, as different users have different cellular service
usage, the likelihood of the users connecting to different foreign service providers is increased.
As a result, congestion of the respective roaming network is averted.
[0017] In an embodiment, a cellular service profile of the user may be generated upon
initial registration of the user with the home service provider. The cellular service profile may be
understood as a profile indicating usage of one or more cellular services availed by the user. For
instance, the user's usage of voice calls, data calls, and cellular data as monitored by the home
service provider may be recorded in the cellular service profile. In an example, the usage of the
cellular services may be recorded as usage units, for example, in terms of number of hours.
[0018] Further, upon entering the roaming region, the mobile device may try to connect
to a foreign service provider present in the roaming region based on a previous preferred
roaming list (PPRL) stored in the mobile device. The foreign service provider, to which the
mobile device attempts to connect, transmits a location message to a home network of the mobile
device for requesting authentication of the user of the mobile device. In one example, the
location message may include location of the mobile device.
[0019] In said embodiment, upon receiving the location message, the cellular service
profile of the user is obtained. Thereafter, foreign service provider data is retrieved for all service
providers who are available in the roaming area under consideration. The foreign service
provider data may be understood as data indicating tariff plans of one or more foreign service
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providers providing the cellular services in the roaming region. The tariff plan may include a
tariff for each of the one or more cellular services. For instance, the tariff plan of a foreign
service provider may include details of the charges incurred per minute by the foreign service
provider for making voice calls in the roaming region.
[0020] The obtained cellular service profile and the foreign service provider data may
then be used to compute a prospective service usage expense for each of the one or more foreign
service providers. The service usage expense may be understood as a probable sum total of
expenses that may be incurred by a user upon using the cellular services in the roaming region.
For instance, if the cellular usage of a user comprises 70% voice calls, 20% data calls, and 10%
cellular data, a expense for each of the voice calls, data calls, and the cellular data is computed
based on the corresponding tariff levied by the foreign service provider. The sum total of all the
expenses may then be represented as the prospective service usage expense.
[0021] Based on the prospective service usage expense for each of the foreign service
provider present in the roaming region, the PRL is generated. In said embodiment, the PRL may
include an indication of the foreign service providers. For instance, the PRL may inlude names
of the foreign service providers in an increasing order of their corresponding prospective service
usage expense. Thus, a foreign service provider with the lowest prospective service usage
expense will be arranged at the top and will have the highest connectivity preference. The PRL
may then be provided to the mobile device based on which the mobile device may identify and
connect to the foreign service provider with the lowest prospective service usage expense.
[0022] Thus, the present subject matter discloses methods and systems for identifying a
foreign service provider providing telecommunication services in a roaming region based on the
cellular service usage of a user. As described above, identification of the foreign service provider
based on the cellular service usage helps in reducing the expenses of the user for availing the
cellular services. Further, as different users may have different cellular usage, the likelihood that
a single foreign service provider is identified for all the users is reduced. As a result, congestion
of the roaming network due to network traffic arising due to roaming users is reduced.
[0023] It should be noted that the description and figures merely illustrate the principles
of the present subject matter. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to
devise various arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the
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principles of the present subject matter and are included within its scope. Further, all examples
recited herein are principally intended expressly to be only for pedagogical purposes to aid the
reader in understanding the principles of the present subject matter and the concepts contributed
by the inventor(s) to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to
such specifically recited examples and conditions. Moreover, all statements herein reciting
principles, aspects, and embodiments of the present subject matter, as well as specific examples
thereof, are intended to encompass equivalents thereof.
[0024] The manner in which the systems and the methods for identifying a foreign
service provider in a roaming region shall be implemented has been explained in details with
respect to the Figures 1-3. While aspects of described systems and methods for identifying a
foreign service provider in a roaming region can be implemented in any number of different
computing systems, transmission environments, and/or configurations, the embodiments are
described in the context of the following exemplary system(s).
[0025] Figure 1 illustrates a network environment 100 for identifying a foreign service
provider providing telecommunication services in a roaming region. The network environment
100 includes a plurality of user devices 102-1, 102-2, 102-3, ....., and 102-N, hereinafter
collectively referred to as the user devices 102 and individually referred to as the user device
102. The network environment 100 further includes a plurality of networks 104-1, 104-2, 104-3,
......, 104-N, hereinafter collectively referred to as the networks 104 and individually referred to
as the network 104.
[0026] The user devices 102 may be defined as User Equipments (UEs) used by users to
communicate with each other. Examples of the user devices 102 may include, without limitation,
mobile phones, hand-held devices, smart phones, a tablet, a PDA, and the like. Each of the user
devices 102 work on a communication protocol as defined by the network 104 to which the user
device 102 is coupled.
[0027] The network 104 may be a wireless network, or a combination of wired and
wireless network. The network 104 can be a collection of individual networks, interconnected
with each other and functioning as a single large network (e.g., the internet or an intranet).
Examples of such individual networks include, but are not limited to, Global System for Mobile
(GSM), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Universal Mobile Telecommunications
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System (UMTS), Enhanced Voice-Data Only (EVDO), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Worldwide
Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), and the like. Further, depending on the
technology, the network 104 includes various network entities, such as gateways, routers;
however, such details have been omitted for ease of understanding.
[0028] Further, the network 104 includes a roaming management system (RMS) (106)
for identifying a foreign service provider in a roaming region based on cellular service usage of a
user of the user device 102. In one implementation, the RMS 106 may be implemented as one or
more of a server, a cloud server, a mainframe computer, a workstation computer, a
multiprocessor computer, a distributed server, and the like. In another implementation, the RMS
106 may suitably be implemented with a HLR (not shown in figure) of the network 104.
[0029] According to an embodiment, the network 104-1 serves as a home network to the
user of the user device 102, and will be hereinafter referred to as home network 104-1. Further,
the networks 104-2, ...., 104-N serve as a plurality of roaming networks operating in a roaming
region of the user of the user device 102, and will be hereinafter collectively referred to as
roaming networks 104, and individually referred to as a roaming network 104.
[0030] In one implementation, a service module 108 may generate a cellular service
profile of the user upon initial registration of the user with a service provider, hereinafter referred
to as the home service provider. The cellular service profile may indicate usage of one or more
cellular service availed by the user. In one example, the usage of the cellular services may be
registered in terms of usage units, for example, in terms of number of hours and volume of data
consumed in the cellular service profile. For instance, the cellular service profile may include
details, such as number of hours of voice calls, number of hours of data calls made by the user,
and number of hours of cellular data usage of the user. In one example, the service module 108
may obtain the usage and additional details pertaining to the one or more cellular services from
an operations support system (OSS) (not shown in figure) of the home network 104-1. The
cellular service profile of the user may be used for identifying a foreign service provider with
which the user may connect for establishing communication while visiting a roaming region.
[0031] Upon entering the roaming region, a location message for requesting
authentication of the user is transmitted to the home network 104-1. For instance, a visiting
location register (VLR) (not shown in the figure) of the roaming network 104, say the roaming
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network 104-2, may transmit the location message to the home network 104-1. Upon receiving
the location message, an HLR of the home network 104-1 may notify the RMS 106 of the users
location based on the location message.
[0032] On being notified of the user's location, the service module 108 may obtain the
cellular service profile of the user and foreign service provider data. The foreign service provider
data may be understood as data including names and tariff plans of one or more foreign service
providers operating in the roaming region. Further, each of the tariff plans may include a tariff
for each of the one or more cellular services. Based on the obtained cellular service profile and
the foreign service provider data, an analysis module 110 of the RMS 106 may compute a
prospective service usage expense for each of the one or more foreign service providers. The
prospective service usage expense may be understood as a probable sum total of expenses that
may be incurred by the user for availing the one or more cellular service in the roaming region.
[0033] In one implementation, the analysis module 110 may generate a preferred
roaming list (PRL) based on the prospective service usage expense for each of the foreign
service providers. In one example, the PRL may include names of the foreign service providers
in increasing order of prospective service usage expense. Thus, the foreign service provider with
the least prospective service usage expense may be provided at the top of the PRL. The PRL may
then be transmitted to a mobile device, say the user device 102-1, corresponding to the user. The
user device 102-1 may then connect to the foreign service provider with the least prospective
service usage expense.
[0034] As the foreign service provider is identified based on the cellular service usage of
a user, the likelihood of a particular foreign service provider being identified for bulk of users is
reduced as different users may have different cellular service usage expense. For instance, a
foreign service provider, say FSP1 offering low tariff for voice calls to roaming users may be
identified for a user A having high voice call usage, whereas a foreign service provider, say
FSP2, offering low tariff for SMS may be identified for a user B having high SMS usage. Thus,
user A and user B may connect to the FSP1 and the FSP2, respectively. Thus, probability of
network congestion in foreign service providers is averted.
[0035] Figure 2 illustrates components of the RMS 106 according to an embodiment of
the present subject matter. In one implementation, the RMS 106 includes one or more
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processor(s) 202, I/O interfaces 204, and memory 206 coupled to the processor 202. The
processor 202 can be a single processing unit or a number of units, all of which could include
multiple computing units. The processor 202 may be implemented as one or more
microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing
units, state machines, logic circuitries, and/or any devices that manipulate signals based on
operational instructions. Among other capabilities, the processor 202 is configured to fetch and
execute computer-readable instructions and data stored in the memory 206.
[0036] The I/O interfaces 204 may include a variety of software and hardware interfaces,
for example, interfaces for peripheral device(s), such as a keyboard, a mouse, a display unit, an
external memory, and a printer. Further, the I/O interfaces 204 may enable the user device 102 to
communicate with other devices, such as web servers and external databases. The I/O interfaces
204 can facilitate multiple communications within a wide variety of networks and protocol types,
including wired networks, for example, local area network (LAN), cable, etc., and wireless
networks, such as Wireless LAN (WLAN), cellular, or satellite. For the purpose, the I/O
interfaces 204 may include one or more ports for connecting a number of computing systems
with one another or to a network.
[0037] The memory 206 may include any non-transitory computer-readable medium
known in the art including, for example, volatile memory, such as static random access memory
(SRAM) and dynamic random access memory (DRAM), and/or non-volatile memory, such as
read only memory (ROM), erasable programmable ROM, flash memories, hard disks, optical
disks, and magnetic tapes. In one implementation, the RMS 106 also includes modules 208 and
data 210.
[0038] The modules 208, amongst other things, include routines, programs, objects,
components, data structures, etc., which perform particular tasks or implement data types. The
modules 208 may also be implemented as, signal processor(s), state machine(s), logic circuitries,
and/or any other device or component that manipulate signals based on operational instructions.
[0039] Further, the modules 208 can be implemented in hardware, instructions executed
by a processing unit, or by a combination thereof. The processing unit can comprise a computer,
a processor, such as the processor 202, a state machine, a logic array or any other suitable
devices capable of processing instructions. The processing unit can be a general-purpose
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processor which executes instructions to cause the general-purpose processor to perform the
required tasks or, the processing unit can be dedicated to perform the required functions.
[0040] In another aspect of the present subject matter, the modules 208 may be machinereadable
instructions (software) which, when executed by a processor/processing unit, perform
any of the described functionalities. The machine-readable instructions may be stored on an
electronic memory device, hard disk, optical disk or other machine-readable storage medium or
non-transitory medium. In one implementation, the machine-readable instructions can be also be
downloaded to the storage medium via a network connection.
[0041] In one implementation, the modules 208 include the service module 108, the
analysis module 110, and other module(s) 212. The other modules 212 may include programs or
coded instructions that supplement applications and functions of the RMS 106. The data 210
serves, amongst other things, as a repository for storing data processed, received, and generated
by one or more of the modules 208. The data 210 includes service data 214, analysis data 216,
and other data 218. The other data 218 includes data generated as a result of the execution of one
or more modules in the modules 208.
[0042] In operation, the service module 108 may generate a cellular service profile of the
user upon initial registration of the user with a home service provider. The cellular service profile
may be understood as a profile indicative of a user’s usage of one or more cellular services. For
instance, the user’s usage of cellular services, such as voice calls, data calls, cellular data, and a
short messaging service, may be recorded in the cellular service profile. In one example, the
service module 108 may record the usage of the cellular service in the cellular service profile as
usage units, for example, in terms of number of hours. In another example, the service module
108 may record the cellular usage of each of the cellular services as a percentage of the total
cellular service usage of the user. Further, the cellular service profile may include additional
details, such as type of the calls, i.e., local or STD, number of each type of calls, region of the
called party, and the like. The service module 108 may store the cellular profile of the user in the
service data 214. Further, the service module 108 may periodically update the cellular service
profile of the user. For instance, the service module 108 may update the cellular service profile
after each voice or data call made by the user. The cellular service profile of the user may be
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used for identifying a foreign service provider operating in a roaming region to which the user
may connect while visiting the roaming region.
[0043] In one implementation, upon determining that the user is in the roaming region,
the service module 108 may obtain the cellular service profile. Subsequently, the service module
108 may retrieve foreign service provider data stored in the service data 214. The foreign service
provider data may be understood as data including names and tariff plans of the foreign service
providers operating in the roaming region. For example, the foreign service provider data may
include tariff plans of foreign service providers, say A, B, C, and D operating in the roaming
region. Further, the tariff plan may indicate tariff levied by the foreign service provider for using
the cellular service in the roaming region.
[0044] Based on the obtained cellular service profile and the foreign service provider
data, the analysis module 110 may compute a prospective service usage expense for each of the
foreign service providers. In order to compute the prospective service usage expense, the
analysis module 110 may obtain the usage units for each of the cellular services availed by the
user based on the cellular service usage profile. Further, the analysis module 110 may obtain a
tariff corresponding to each of the one or more cellular services based on the tariff plan of the
foreign service provider. Thereafter, the analysis module 110 may compute a probable expense
for utilizing the cellular services in the roaming region. The probable sum total of the expenses
may then be stored as the prospective service usage expense in the analysis data 216.
[0045] The analysis module 110 may then generate the PRL based on the prospective
service usage expense for each of the foreign service provider. In one example, the foreign
service providers may be enlisted in increasing order of their corresponding prospective service
usage expense. Upon generating the PRL, the analysis module 110 may render the PRL, such as
the user device 102-1, of the user. Based on the PRL, the user may connect to the foreign service
provider with the least prospective service usage expense for availing cellular services in the
roaming region.
[0046] Figure 3 illustrates a method 300 for identifying a foreign service provider
providing telecommunication services in a roaming region, in accordance with an embodiment of
the present subject matter. The method 300 may be described in the general context of computer
executable instructions. Generally, the computer executable instructions can include routines,
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programs, objects, components, data structures, procedures, modules, functions, etc., that
perform particular functions or implement particular abstract data types. The method 300 may
also be practiced in a distributed computing environment where functions are performed by
remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed
computing environment, computer executable instructions may be located in both local and
remote computer storage media, including memory storage devices.
[0047] The order in which the method 300 is described is not intended to be construed as
a limitation, and any number of the described method blocks can be combined in any order to
implement the method, or an alternative method. Additionally, individual blocks may be deleted
from the method without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter described
herein. Furthermore, the method can be implemented in any suitable hardware, software,
firmware, or combination thereof.
[0048] At block 302, a location message requesting authentication of a user present in a
roaming region is received. In one example, the location message may include a location of the
user.
[0049] At block 304, a cellular service profile associated with the user is obtained. Upon
receiving the location message, the cellular service profile of the user may be obtained from an
internal database of a home network of the user. The cellular service profile may be understood
as a profile indicating usage of cellular services availed by the user. In one example, the usage of
the cellular services may be recorded as usage units in the cellular service profile. Examples of
usage units may include, but are not limited to, hours, minutes, amount of data consumed. For
instance, the usage of voice calls and the data calls may be recorded in terms of number of hours
whereas the usage of cellular data may be recorded in terms of amount of bytes consumed by the
user. In one implementation, the service module 108 may obtain the cellular service profile.
[0050] At block 306, foreign service provider data is retrieved. In one example, the
foreign service provider data may include names of foreign service providers operating in the
roaming region. Further, the foreign service provider data may also include a tariff plan of each
of the foreign service providers. The tariff plan may include a tariff levied by the foreign service
provider for availing the cellular services in the roaming region. In one implementation, the
service module 108 may obtain the cellular service profile.
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[0051] At block 308, a prospective service usage expense, for each of the foreign service
providers, is computed based on the cellular service profile and the foreign service provider data.
The prospective service usage expense may be understood as probable expense that may be
incurred by the user for availing the cellular services in the roaming region. In one example, the
prospective service usage expense, for a cellular service, is computed based on the usage units of
the cellular service and the corresponding tariff of the cellular service.
[0052] At block 310, a preferred roaming list (PRL) is generated based on the
computation for identifying a foreign service provider in the roaming region. In one example, the
foreign service providers may be enlisted in the PRL in increasing order of their respective
prospective service usage expense. Thus, a foreign service provider with the least prospective
service usage expense is listed at the top of the PRL.
[0053] At block 312, the PRL is transmitted to a user device of the user. In one example,
the PRL may then be transmitted to a user device, such as the user device 102-1, corresponding
to the user. The user may then establish connection through the foreign service provider in the
roaming region.
[0054] Although embodiments for methods and systems for identifying a foreign service
provider in a roaming region have been described in a language specific to structural features
and/or methods, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to the specific
features or methods described. Rather, the specific features and methods are disclosed as
exemplary embodiments for identifying a foreign service provider in a roaming region.
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I/We claim:
1. A method for establishing communication through a foreign service provider in a
roaming region, wherein the method comprises:
obtaining a cellular service profile associated with a user entering the roaming
region, wherein the cellular service profile indicates usage of one or more cellular
services availed by the user;
retrieving foreign service provider data comprising a tariff plan for availing
cellular service of each of one or more foreign service providers operating in the roaming
region;
computing, for each of the one or more foreign service providers, a prospective
service usage expense based on the obtained cellular service profile and the foreign
service provider data, wherein the prospective service usage expense indicates probable
expenses incurred by the user for using the cellular services rendered by the foreign
service provider in the roaming region;
generating a preferred roaming list (PRL) comprising an indication of the one or
more foreign service providers;
rendering the generated PRL to a user device (102) of the user for establishing
communication through the foreign service provider in the roaming region.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises receiving a
notification indicating a current location of the user, wherein the current location is in the
roaming region.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the PRL comprises names of the foreign
service providers in an increasing order of corresponding prospective service usage
expense.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more cellular services comprise at
least one of voice based service and data-based services.
5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the usage of the one or more cellular services
is recorded in terms of usage units, wherein the usage units are at least one of number of
hours and volume of data.
6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the computing further comprises:
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obtaining, for each of the one or more cellular services, the usage units
corresponding to the cellular service based on the cellular service profile; and
obtaining, for each of the one or more cellular services, the tariff corresponding to
the cellular service based on the tariff plan of the foreign service provider.
7. A roaming management system (106) comprising:
a processor (202); and
a service module (108) coupled to the processor (202) to,
obtain a cellular service profile associated with a user entering a roaming
region, wherein the cellular service profile indicates usage of one or more cellular
services availed by the user;
retrieve foreign service provider data, wherein the foreign service provider
data includes a tariff plan of each of one or more foreign service providers
operating in the roaming region; and
an analysis module (110) coupled to the processor (202) to,
compute, for each of the one or more foreign service providers, a
prospective service usage expense based on the obtained cellular service profile
and the foreign service provider data, wherein the prospective service usage
expense indicates probable expenses incurred by the user for using the cellular
services rendered by the foreign service provider in the roaming region;
generate a preferred roaming list (PRL) comprising an indication of the
one or more foreign service providers; and
renders the generated PRL to a user device (102) of the user for
establishing communication through the foreign service provider in the roaming
region.
8. The roaming management system (106) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the service
module (108) further receives a notification indicating a current location of the user,
wherein the current location is in the roaming region.
9. The roaming management system (106) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the analysis
module (110) further,
obtains, for each of the one or more cellular services, the usage units
corresponding to the cellular service based on the cellular service profile; and
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obtains, for each of the one or more cellular services, the tariff corresponding to
the cellular service based on the tariff plan of the foreign service provider.
10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a computer
program for executing a method for establishing communication through a foreign
service provider in a roaming region, the method comprising:
obtaining a cellular service profile associated with a user entering the roaming
region, wherein the cellular service profile indicates usage of one or more cellular
services availed by the user;
retrieving foreign service provider data comprising a tariff plan for availing
cellular service of each of one or more foreign service providers operating in the roaming
region;
computing, for each of the one or more foreign service providers, a prospective
service usage expense based on the obtained cellular service profile and the foreign
service provider data, wherein the prospective service usage expense indicates probable
expenses incurred by the user for using the cellular services rendered by the foreign
service provider in the roaming region;
generating a preferred roaming list (PRL) comprising an indication of the one or
more foreign service providers;
rendering the generated PRL to a user device (102) of the user for establishing
communication through the foreign service provider in the roaming region.
Date 07 January 2014