Cellular signal forwarding utilizing a packet-switched network

1. A mobile device, comprising:

a signaling manager operable to exchange cellular signaling with a base station of a home network of the mobile device; and

a control system operable to detect a triggering condition, to receive the cellular signaling from the signaling manager responsive to detecting the triggering condition, to encapsulate the cellular signaling in a packet wrapper, and to forward the encapsulated signaling to a virtual base station via a packet-switched network,

the control system further operable to receive encapsulated signaling sent by the home network via the packet-switched network, to unpackage cellular signaling from the encapsulated signaling sent by the home network, and to transmit the unpackaged cellular signaling to the signaling manager.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein

the cellular signaling comprises signaling in accordance with Long-Term Evolution (LTE) standards.

3. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein

the control system is further operable to detect a loss of contact with the base station of the home network as a triggering condition.

4. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein

the control system is further operable to detect a change in a price of a messaging service provided by the home network as a triggering condition.

5. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein

the control system is further operable to detect that the mobile device is roaming as a triggering condition.

6. The mobile device of claim 5 , wherein

the control system is further operable to determine a price of roaming, and to detect expensive roaming as a triggering condition.

7. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein

the control system is further operable to encapsulate the cellular signaling using a cryptographic security protocol.

8. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein

the control system is further operable to detect a wireless local area network (WLAN), to access the packet-switched network via the WLAN, and to forward the encapsulated signaling to the virtual base station via the WLAN.

9. A method comprising:

exchanging cellular signaling with a base station of a home network of a mobile device;

detecting a triggering condition;

encapsulating the cellular signaling in a packet wrapper responsive to detecting the triggering condition;

forwarding the encapsulated signaling to a virtual base station via a packet-switched network;

receiving encapsulated signaling sent by the home network via the packet-switched network;

unpackaging cellular signaling from the encapsulated signaling sent by the home network; and

processing the unpackaged cellular signaling.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein:

the cellular signaling comprises signaling in accordance with Long-Term Evolution (LTE) standards.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein

detecting a triggering condition comprises determining that the mobile device has lost contact with the base station of the home network.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein

detecting a triggering condition comprises determining that a price of a messaging service has changed.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein

detecting a triggering condition comprises determining that the mobile device is currently roaming.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein

detecting a triggering condition further comprises determining that a price of roaming for the mobile device is expensive.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein

the cellular signaling is encapsulated using a cryptographic security protocol.

16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising

detecting a wireless local area network (WLAN); and

accessing the packet-switched network via the WLAN,

wherein forwarding the cellular signaling comprises transmitting the cellular signaling to the virtual base station via the WLAN.