Providing and charging for data services in roaming network environments
A method provides detecting a roaming operator by a mobile communications device, where the mobile communications device is associated with a home operator; receiving a data service, by the mobile communications device, provided by the roaming operator independent of the home operator; sending information, from the mobile communications device, to the roaming operator for the roaming operator to authenticate the mobile communications device with the home operator; and receiving a voice service, by the mobile communications device, provided by the roaming operator based on the authentication by the roaming operator of the mobile communications device with the home operator.
1. A method comprising:
detecting a roaming operator by a mobile communications device, where the mobile communications device is associated with a home operator;
receiving a data service, by the mobile communications device, provided by the roaming operator independent of the home operator;
sending information, from the mobile communications device, to the roaming operator for the roaming operator to authenticate the mobile communications device with the home operator;
receiving a voice service, by the mobile communications device, provided by the roaming operator based on the authentication by the roaming operator of the mobile communications device with the home operator;
determining whether the roaming operator provides the data service independent of the home operator, where determining whether the roaming operator provides the data service independent of the home operator includes:
requesting a universal resource indicator (URI) from the roaming operator, and
detecting a redirection to a different URI; and
providing to a user of the mobile communications device an option to receive the data service independent of the home operator or not independent of the home operator.
2. The method of claim 1 , where detecting a roaming operator includes detecting a plurality of roaming operators, the method further comprising:
providing to a user of the mobile communications device a list of the plurality of roaming operators; and
receiving a selection of one of the plurality of roaming operators, where receiving the data service includes receiving the data service from the selected roaming operator.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending payment information from the mobile communications device to the roaming operator for payment for the data service.
4. The method of claim 1 , where receiving the data service includes receiving a first data service, the method further comprising:
receiving a second data service from the roaming operator, where the roaming operator interconnects with the home operator to provide the second data service.
5. The method of claim 4 , where the second data service is one of a simple message system (SMS) message or a multi-media message system (MMS) message.
6. A method comprising:
receiving a request from a mobile communications device for rate information for a data service;
sending the rate information for the data service to the mobile communications device from a roaming operator, where the mobile communications device is associated with a home operator;
receiving authentication information from the mobile communications device;
authenticating the mobile communications device with the home operator;
providing the data service to the mobile communications device by the roaming operator independent of the home operator;
providing a voice service to the mobile communications device by the roaming operator based on the authentication by the roaming operator of the mobile communications device with the home operator;
receiving a request, from the mobile communications device, for a universal resource indicator (URI); and
redirecting the mobile communications to a different URI.
7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
receiving payment information from the mobile communications device for payment for the data service.
8. The method of claim 6 , where providing the data service includes providing a first data service, the method further comprising:
providing a second data service to the mobile communications device, where the roaming operator interconnects with the home operator to provide the second data service.
9. The method of claim 8 , where the second data service is one of a simple message system (SMS) message or a multi-media message system (MMS) message.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
determining whether to provide the second data service by interconnecting with the home operator based on a type of the second data service.
11. A mobile communications device associated with a home operator, the device comprising:
a transceiver to transmit and receive communication signals to and from a roaming operator; and
a processor, coupled to the transceiver, to:
process a data service from the roaming operator independent of the home operator;
provide information to the roaming operator for the roaming operator to authenticate the mobile communications device with the home operator;
process a voice service from the roaming operator based on the authentication by the roaming operator of the mobile communications device with the home operator;
determine whether the roaming operator provides the data service independent of the home operator;
provide to a user of the mobile communications device an option to receive the data service independent of the home operator or not independent of the home operator;
request a universal resource indicator (URI) from the roaming operator; and
detect a redirection to a different URI.
12. The device of claim 11 , where the transceiver receives communication signals from a plurality of roaming operators, the device further comprising:
a display to provide the user with a list of the plurality of roaming operators; and
a user interface to receive a selection of one of the plurality of roaming operators, where the processor processes the data service from the selected roaming operator.
13. The device of claim 11 , where the processor sends payment information to the roaming operator for payment for the data service.
14. The device of claim 11 , where the processor receives a second data service from the roaming operator, where the roaming operator interconnects with the home operator to provide the second data service.
15. The device of claim 14 , where the second data service is one of a simple message system (SMS) message or a multi-media message system (MMS) message.
16. A method comprising:
detecting a roaming operator by a mobile communications device, where the mobile communications device is associated with a home operator;
determining whether the roaming operator provides a data service independent of the home operator, where determining whether the roaming operator provides the data service independent of the home operator includes:
requesting a universal resource indicator (URI) from the roaming operator, and
detecting a redirection to a different URI;
providing to a user of the mobile communications device an option to receive a data service independent of the home operator or dependent on the home operator;
receiving the data service, by the mobile communications device, provided by the roaming operator independent of the home operator;
sending information, from the mobile communications device, to the roaming operator for the roaming operator to authenticate the mobile communications device with the home operator;
receiving a voice service, by the mobile communications device, provided by the roaming operator based on the authentication by the roaming operator of the mobile communications device with the home operator; and
sending payment information from the mobile communications device to the roaming operator for payment for the data service.