Abstract:
There is provided a method of initiating a search for a home network in a mobile device that is attached to a network other than a home network of the mobile device, the method in an apparatus comprising determining whether the mobile device is in a part of said other network where there may be coverage from the home network; and if the mobile device is determined to be in a part of said other network where there may be coverage from the home network, sending a message to said other network in order to change one or more of a voice, messaging and/or data service available to the mobile device, such that the mobile device can enter an idle state and perform a search for the home network.
Abstract:
There is provided a method of detecting whether a first fixed-line telephone number has an active call forwarding condition, the method comprising monitoring the signals received in the set up of a telephone call to the first fixed-line telephone number; and detecting whether the first fixed-line telephone number has an active call forwarding condition based on the timing of signals received in the set up of the telephone call to the first fixed-line telephone number and/or the sequence in which signals are received in the set up of the telephone call to the first fixed-line telephone number.
Abstract:
There is provided a method of initiating a network re - attachment procedure by a mobile device, the mobile device being attached to a network other than the home network of the mobile device, and wherein location information for the mobile device in said other network is stored in a visitor location register, VLR, in said other network, the method comprising transmitting a first signal between the home network and the mobile device, if the home network and/or the mobile device is aware that the mobile device is in a border cell of the visited network where there may or should be coverage from the home network. This first signal indicates that the network re - attachment procedure can be initiated, since it has been determined that the mobile device is in said border cell, the mobile device, when sending or receiving said first signal starts a timer. Subsequently, the home network transmits a second signal to the VLR of the visited network, which causes the location information relating to the mobile device to be deleted from the VLR. On expiry of a time period sufficient to allow the location imformation to be deleted from the VLR, the mobile device sends a service request to an MSC of the visited network and on rejection of the request to an MSC of the visited network and on rejection of the request (due to the fact that the mobile device is no longer known in the VLR), the mobile device initiates a network re - attachment (and hopefully registers with the home network).
Abstract:
A number of methods are provided that relate to the roaming of mobile devices (2) from a home network (6). In particular, a method of operating a mobile device is provided in which the mobile device is attached to a network (16) other than the home network of the mobile device (2), the method comprising determining (68) whether the mobile device (2) is in a part of said other network (16) in which there may be coverage from the home network; and if it is determined that the mobile device (2) is in a part of said other network (16) in which there may be coverage from the home network (6), initiating a scan for a signal from the home network (6).