Multiple active network wireless device
A wireless device capable of using embedded subscriber identity modules (SIM) to communicate with multiple active cellular networks is presented. The wireless device is configured to maintain a first communication connection with a first wide area network of the plurality of wide area networks; access second network metadata associated with a second wide area network of the plurality of wide area networks and the second eSIM; access third network metadata associated with a third wide area network of the plurality of wide area networks and the second eSIM; select the second wide area network based at least in part on a comparison between the second network metadata and the third network metadata; and establish a second communication connection with the second wide area network.
1 . A wireless device configured to communicate with at least one wide area network from a plurality of wide area networks, wherein the at least one wide area network is selected based at least in part on network metadata, the wireless device comprising:
a memory including at least a first eSIM and a second eSIM, wherein the memory stores specific computer-executable instructions; and
a hardware processor in communication with the memory and configured to execute the specific computer-executable instructions to at least:
maintain, at a first point in time and at a first location, a first communication connection with a first wide area network of the plurality of wide area networks, wherein first network metadata is associated with the first wide area network and the first eSIM, and wherein the first wide area network is designated a primary carrier;
access, at the first point in time and at the first location, second network metadata associated with a second wide area network of the plurality of wide area networks and the second eSIM;
access, at the first point in time and at the first location, third network metadata associated with a third wide area network of the plurality of wide area networks and the second eSIM;
select, at the first point in time and at the first location, the second wide area network based at least in part on a comparison between the second network metadata of the second wide area network and the third network metadata of the third wide area network;
modify a configuration of the second eSIM to identify the second wide area network as an active standby carrier;
establish a second communication connection with the second wide area network, wherein the second wide area network is designated a standby carrier; and
maintain the first communication connection as the primary carrier and the second communication connection as the standby carrier until at least a second point in time.
2 . The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the memory is configured to store the first network metadata, the second network metadata, and the third network metadata.
3 . The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the first network metadata, the second network metadata, and the third network metadata is stored on a remote device accessible by the wireless device.
4 . The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to execute the specific computer-executable instructions to at least:
determine a first comparison result between the second network metadata and the first network metadata;
designate the second wide area network as the primary carrier based at least in part on the first comparison result; and
designate the first wide area network as the standby carrier based at least in part on the first comparison result.
5 . The wireless device of claim 4 , wherein the first comparison result indicates that a second signal strength corresponding to the second communication connection with the second wide area network is greater than a first signal strength corresponding to the first communication connection with the first wide area network.
6 . The wireless device of claim 4 , wherein the first comparison result indicates that a second bandwidth corresponding to the second communication connection with the second wide area network is greater than a first bandwidth corresponding to the first communication connection with the first wide area network.
7 . The wireless device of claim 4 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to execute the specific computer-executable instructions to at least:
maintain, at the second point in time, the second communication connection with the second wide area network;
access, at the second point in time, fourth network metadata stored at the first eSIM and associated with a fourth wide area network of the plurality of wide area networks;
access, at the second point in time, the first network metadata stored at the first eSIM and associated with the first wide area network of the plurality of wide area networks;
select the fourth wide area network based at least in part on a comparison between the first network metadata and the fourth network metadata; and
establish a third communication connection with the fourth wide area network, wherein the fourth wide area network is designated the standby carrier.
8 . The wireless device of claim 7 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to execute the specific computer-executable instructions to at least end the first communication connection with the first wide area network based at least in part on the comparison between the first network metadata and the fourth network metadata.
9 . The wireless device of claim 7 , wherein the second point in time occurs when the wireless device is at a second location.
10 . The wireless device of claim 7 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to execute the specific computer-executable instructions to at least:
determine a second comparison result between the fourth network metadata and the second network metadata;
designate the fourth wide area network as the primary carrier based at least in part on the second comparison result; and
designate the second wide area network as the standby carrier based at least in part on the second comparison result.
11 . The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein, when the first wide area network is designated the primary carrier, the hardware processor is further configured to execute the specific computer-executable instructions to at least establish a call over the first wide area network or transmit a user data packet over the first wide area network.
12 . The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein, when the second wide area network is designated the standby carrier, the hardware processor is further configured to execute the specific computer-executable instructions to at least maintain the second communication connection with the second wide area network without establishing a call over the second wide area network and without transmitting a user data packet over the second wide area network until at least such time when the second wide area network is designated the primary carrier.
13 . The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein, when the second wide area network is designated the standby carrier, the hardware processor is further configured to execute the specific computer-executable instructions to at least maintain the second communication connection with the second wide area network without establishing a call over the second wide area network and without transmitting a user data packet over the second wide area network until at least such time when an application or a network location associated with the second wide area network is accessed.
14 . The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the network metadata comprises at least one of:
a signal strength of a communication connection with a wide area network of the plurality of wide area networks;
a signal type of a signal used to communicate over the communication connection;
an availability of data service over the communication connection;
a bandwidth associated with the communication connection;
historical signal strength data associated with the wide area network;
a quality of service associated with the communication connection;
a packet drop rate associated with the communication connection;
a network security metric associated with the wide area network; or
a network reliability metric associated with the wide area network.
15 . The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to execute the specific computer-executable instructions to at least perform the comparison between the second network metadata and the third network metadata based at least in part on signal strength, signal type, availability of data service, or historical signal strength information.
16 . The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to execute the specific computer-executable instructions to at least:
determine a second signal strength corresponding to the second communication connection with the second wide area network; and
determine a third signal strength corresponding to a third communication connection with the third wide area network,
wherein the comparison compares the second signal strength corresponding to the second communication connection and the third signal strength corresponding to the third communication connection.
17 . The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to execute the specific computer-executable instructions to at least:
receive, from a gateway or the memory, a second signal strength corresponding to the second communication connection with the second wide area network; and
receive, from the gateway or the memory, a third signal strength corresponding to a third communication connection with the third wide area network,
wherein the comparison compares the second signal strength corresponding to the second communication connection and the third signal strength corresponding to the third communication connection.
18 . The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to execute the specific computer-executable instructions to at least receive the comparison between the second network metadata and the third network metadata from a gateway or the memory.
19 . The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the first wide area network is a cellular network.
20 . The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the first wide area network is implemented using a first communication technology and is associated with a first service provider, and the second wide area network is implemented using a second communication technology and is associated with a second service provider.
21 . The wireless device of claim 1 , further comprising a primary antenna and a diversity antenna, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to execute the specific computer-executable instructions to at least:
transmit and receive signals, through the primary antenna, of the first communication connection with the first wide area network; and
receive signals, through the diversity antenna, of the second communication connection with the second wide area network.
22 . The wireless device of claim 21 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to execute the specific computer-executable instructions to at least:
determine a signal strength associated with the second communication connection with the second wide area network based at least in part on a signal received via the diversity antenna; and
update the second network metadata based on the signal strength associated with the second communication connection with the second wide area network.
23 . The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the first point in time comprises a first time period.