Systems and methods for selecting non-terrestrial networks in communication networks

1 . A method at a user equipment (UE) for selecting a public land mobile network (PLMN), the method comprising:

identifying, by the UE, one or more PLMNs available in a network coverage area of the UE;

identifying, by the UE, a network type of the one or more PLMNs available in the network coverage area of the UE based on a broadcasted and configured timer, the network type comprising at least one of a terrestrial network (TN) and a non-terrestrial network (NTN);

identifying, by the UE, a number of services provided by a respective PLMN from the one or more PLMNs;

prioritizing, by the UE, the one or more PLMNs available in the network coverage area of the UE based on the number of services and the network type; and

performing, by the UE, a selection of the one or more PLMNs based on the prioritizing result,

wherein the network type is determined to be the NTN, in case that a value determined for the broadcasted and configured timer is greater than a first threshold value, and

wherein the network type is determined to be the TN, in case that the value determined for the broadcasted and configured timer is lower than the first threshold value.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying, by the UE, the one or more PLMNs available in the network coverage area of the UE; and

storing, by the UE, in a data store, a data related to the one or more PLMNs available in the network coverage area of the UE as a list,

wherein the data comprises at least one of a supported radio access technology (RAT), a frequency band, a granularity, the number of services provided by a respective PLMN from the one or more PLMNs, and a network type of the respective PLMN.

3 . The method of claim 2 ,

wherein the one or more PLMNs with a higher number of the services is given a higher priority, and stored in the data store higher in the list of the one or more PLMNs available in the network coverage area of the UE.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the identifying, by the UE, the one or more PLMNs including:

registering a PLMN on the UE;

initiating, by the UE, services provided by the PLMN;

establishing and performing, by the UE, the services over the PLMN;

determining, by the UE, whether the services were established and performed successfully over the PLMN; and

updating and storing, by the UE, in the data store, the services established and performed successfully over the PLMN.

5 . The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the broadcasted and configured timer comprises a non-access stratum timer (NAS) and an access stratum timer (AS).

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a network type of the respective PLMN is identified based on at least one of:

a timing advance value configured as part of a media access control (MAC) control elements (CE), the timing advance value being a MAC CE to control uplink signal transmission timing, and the UE receiving a higher value of timing advance configured in the NTN compared to the TN;

a round trip time (RTT);

a broadcast message comprising a network type broadcasted by the network in one or more information elements (IE), the broadcast message comprises at least one of a master information block (MIB) and a system information block (SIB); or

a non-access stratum (NAS) signaling and an access stratum (AS) signaling comprising the network type broadcasted by the network in one or more information elements (IEs).

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the network type is identified further based on the RTT including:

registering, by the UE, over a PLMN available in the network coverage area;

measuring, by the UE, the RTT of the PLMN;

storing, by the UE, the RTT in a data store; and

comparing, by the UE, the RTT to an RTT threshold value to determine the network type, wherein the PLMN having RTT greater than the RTT threshold value is the NTN, else the RTT is lower than the RTT threshold value, the PLMN is the TN.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

maintaining, by the UE, a second list of the one or more PLMNs that belong to the NTN;

setting, by the UE, the second list as a last priority for the selection of the one or more PLMNs; and

updating, by the UE, the second list of the one or more PLMNs whenever a new NTN is identified in the network coverage area.

9 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more PLMNs with a signal strength that is higher is given a higher priority, and stored in the data store higher in the list of the one or more PLMNs.

10 . A user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the UE comprising:

a transceiver;

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more computer programs including computer-executable instructions,

wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the UE to:

identify one or more PLMNs available in a network coverage area of the UE,

identify a network type of the one or more PLMNs available in the network coverage area of the UE based on a broadcasted and configured timer, the network type comprising at least one of a terrestrial network (TN) and a non-terrestrial network (NTN),

identify a number of services provided by a respective PLMN from the one or more PLMNs,

prioritize the one or more PLMNs available in the network coverage area of the UE based on the number of services and the network type, and

perform, a selection of the one or more PLMN based on the prioritizing result,

wherein the network type is determined to be the NTN, in case that a value determined for the broadcasted and configured timer is greater than a first threshold value, and

wherein the network type is determined to be the TN, in case that the value determined for the broadcasted and configured timer is lower than the first threshold value.

11 . The UE of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, further cause the UE to:

store, in a data store, a data related to the one or more PLMNs available in the network coverage area of the UE as a list, wherein the data comprises at least one of a supported radio access technology (RAT), a frequency band, a granularity, the number of services provided by a respective PLMN from the one or more PLMNs, and a network type of the respective PLMN.

12 . The UE of claim 11 , wherein the one or more PLMNs with a higher number of services is given a higher priority, and stored in the data store higher in the list of the one or more PLMNs available in the network coverage area.

13 . The UE of claim 11 , wherein, for identifying the one or more PLMN, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, further cause the UE to:

register, a PLMN on the UE,

initiate, services provided by the PLMN,

establish and perform, the services over the PLMN,

determine, whether the services were established and performed successfully over the PLMN, and

update and store, in the data store, the services established and performed successfully over the PLMN.

14 . The UE of claim 10 ,

wherein the timers-broadcasted and configured timer comprises a non-access stratum (NAS) timer and an access stratum (AS) timer.

15 . The UE of claim 10 , wherein a network type of the respective PLMN is identified based on at least one of:

a timing advance value configured as part of a media access control (MAC) control elements (CE), the timing advance value being a MAC CE to control uplink signal transmission timing, and the UE receiving a higher value of timing advance configured in the NTN compared to the TN;

a round trip time (RTT);

a broadcast message comprising the network type broadcasted by the network in one or more information elements (IE), the broadcast message comprising at least one of a master information block (MIB) and a system information block (SIB); and

a non-access Stratum (NAS) signaling and an access stratum (AS) signaling comprising the network type broadcasted by the network in one or more information elements (IEs).

16 . The UE of claim 15 , wherein the network type is identified further based on the RTT including:

registering, over a PLMN available in the network coverage area,

measuring, the RTT of the PLMN,

storing, the RTT in a data store, and

comparing, the RTT to an RTT threshold value to determine the network type,

wherein the PLMN having RTT greater than the RTT threshold value is the NTN, or the RTT is lower than the RTT threshold value, the PLMN is the TN.

17 . The UE of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, further cause the UE to:

maintain, a second list of the one or more PLMN that belong to the NTN,

set, the second list as a last priority for the selection of the one or more PLMNs, and

update, the second list of the one or more PLMN whenever a new NTN is identified in the network coverage area.

18 . The UE of claim 11 , wherein the one or more PLMN with a signal strength that is higher is given a higher priority, and stored in the data store higher in the list of the one or more PLMNs.

19 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing one or more computer programs including computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a user equipment (UE), cause the UE to perform operations for selecting a public land mobile network (PLMN), the operations comprising:

identifying, by the UE, one or more PLMNs available in a network coverage area of the UE;

identifying, by the UE, a network type of the one or more PLMNs available in the network coverage area of the UE based on a broadcasted and configured timer, the network type comprising at least one of a terrestrial network (TN) and a non-terrestrial network (NTN);

identifying, by the UE, a number of services provided by a respective PLMN from the one or more PLMNs;

prioritizing, by the UE, the one or more PLMNs available in the network coverage area of the UE based on the number of services and the network type; and

performing, by the UE, a selection of the one or more PLMN based on the prioritizing result,

wherein the network type is determined to be the NTN, in case that a value determined for the broadcasted and configured timer is greater than a first threshold value, and

wherein the network type is determined to be the TN, in case that the value determined for the broadcasted and configured timer is lower than the first threshold value.