Method and system for carrier frequency prioritization based on operational characteristics of wireless communication devices

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a wireless communication device (WCD) that is idling on a particular carrier frequency of a base station, a message broadcast by the base station, the message specifying (i) a set of carrier frequencies, (ii) multiple different relative prioritizations of the carrier frequencies of the set, wherein one of the relative prioritizations defines relative priority levels among the carrier frequencies of the set and another of the relative prioritizations defines different relative priority levels among the carrier frequencies of the set, and (iii) respective correlations of the relative prioritizations with bearer quality of service class identifier (QCI) levels, including a correlation of each relative prioritization with a respective bearer QCI level;

the WCD selecting, from the received message, one of the relative prioritizations based at least in part on the WCD currently having assigned to the WCD a bearer with a particular bearer QCI level that the message correlates with the selected relative prioritization; and

the WCD operating in accordance with the selected relative prioritization.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of carrier frequencies includes at least one carrier frequency different from the particular carrier frequency on which the WCD is idling.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of carrier frequencies includes a set of frequency bands, and

wherein one of the relative prioritizations defines relative priority levels among the carrier frequency bands of the set and another of the relative prioritizations defines different relative priority levels among the carrier frequency bands of the set.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the WCD selecting one of the relative prioritizations based at least in part on the WCD currently having assigned to the WCD a bearer with a particular bearer QCI level that the message correlates with the selected relative prioritization comprises:

in response to the WCD receiving the message, the WCD reading the message to determine that the message specifies a correlation of a particular relative prioritization with a particular bearer QCI level of a bearer, wherein the bearer is currently assigned to the WCD; and

based on the specified correlation, the WCD selecting that particular relative prioritization.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of carrier frequencies includes the particular carrier frequency on which the WCD is idling.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the WCD is a first WCD served by the base station, the particular bearer QCI level is a first bearer QCI level, and the selected relative prioritization is a first relative prioritization, the method further comprising:

a second WCD served by the base station receiving the message, wherein the second WCD currently has assigned to the second WCD a bearer with a second bearer QCI level that the message correlates with a second relative prioritization;

the second WCD selecting, from the received message, the second relative prioritization based at least in part on the second WCD currently having assigned to the second WCD a bearer with the second bearer QCI level that the message correlates with the second relative prioritization; and

the second WCD operating in accordance with the second relative prioritization.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message correlates the selected relative prioritization with a bearer QCI level of a voice signaling bearer,

wherein the WCD selecting one of the relative prioritizations based at least in part on the WCD currently having assigned to the WCD a bearer with a particular bearer QCI level that the message correlates with the selected relative prioritization comprises the WCD selecting the one of the relative prioritizations based at least in part on the WCD currently having assigned to the WCD a bearer with the bearer QCI level of a voice signaling bearer.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message correlates the selected relative prioritization with a bearer QCI level of a default data bearer, and

wherein the WCD selecting one of the relative prioritizations based at least in part on the WCD currently having assigned to the WCD a bearer with a particular bearer QCI level that the message correlates with the selected relative prioritization comprises the WCD selecting the one of the relative prioritizations based at least in part on the WCD currently having assigned to the WCD a bearer with the bearer QCI level of a default data bearer.

9. A method comprising:

receiving, by a wireless communication device (WCD) that is idling on a particular carrier frequency of a base station, a message broadcast by the base station, the message (i) specifying multiple relative sets of priority levels defined for a set of carrier frequencies and (ii) correlating each of the multiple relative sets of priority levels with respective different bearer quality of service class identifier (QCI) levels, wherein the set of carrier frequencies includes at least one carrier frequency different from the particular carrier frequency on which the WCD is idling, and wherein the message specifies a first correlation of one of the relative sets of priority levels with one bearer QCI level and includes a second correlation of a different one of the relative sets of priority levels with a different bearer QCI level;

the WCD selecting, from the received message, one of the relative sets of priority levels responsive to the WCD currently having assigned to the WCD a bearer with a particular bearer QCI level that the message correlates with the selected relative set of priority levels; and

the WCD applying the selected relative set of priority levels.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the WCD selects the one of the relative sets of priority levels responsive to the WCD (i) reading the message to determine that the message correlates the one of the relative sets of priority levels with the particular bearer QCI level and (ii) determining that the WCD currently has assigned to the WCD a bearer with the particular bearer QCI level.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the WCD is idling on the particular carrier frequency of the base station in accordance with a Long Term Evolution (LTE) air interface protocol,

wherein the particular bearer QCI level is a particular bearer QCI level of a Voice over LTE (VoLTE) signaling bearer, and

wherein the WCD currently has assigned to the WCD the VoLTE signaling bearer.

12. A wireless communication device (WCD) comprising:

a wireless communication interface;

at least one processor;

data storage; and

program instructions stored in the data storage and executable by the at least one processor to cause the WCD to perform functions comprising:

while the WCD is idling on a particular carrier frequency of a base station, receiving, via the wireless communication interface, a message broadcast by the base station, the message specifying (i) a set of carrier frequencies, (ii) multiple different relative prioritizations of the carrier frequencies of the set, wherein one of the relative prioritizations defines relative priority levels among the carrier frequencies of the set and another of the relative prioritizations defines different relative priority levels among the carrier frequencies of the set, and (iii) respective correlations of the relative prioritizations with bearer quality of service class identifier (QCI) levels, including a correlation of each relative prioritization with a respective bearer QCI level,

selecting, from the received message, one of the relative prioritizations based at least in part on the WCD currently having assigned to the WCD a bearer with a particular bearer QCI level that the message correlates with the selected relative prioritization, and

operating in accordance with the selected relative prioritization.

13. The WCD of claim 12 , wherein the message is a System Information Block #5 (SIB5) message.

14. The WCD of claim 12 , wherein the WCD is idling on the particular carrier frequency of the base station in accordance with an air interface protocol selected from the group consisting of: a Long Term Evolution (LTE) air interface protocol and a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) air interface protocol.

15. The WCD of claim 12 , wherein the functions further comprise:

engaging in idle handover from the particular carrier frequency on which the WCD is idling to a different carrier frequency that is a member of the set of carrier frequencies,

wherein engaging in idle handover is performed in response to (i) the selected relative prioritization defining a higher priority level for the different carrier frequency than for the particular carrier frequency and (ii) the WCD determining that the different carrier frequency has a threshold high signal strength.

16. The WCD of claim 12 , wherein the functions further comprise:

engaging in idle handover from the particular carrier frequency on which the WCD is idling to a different carrier frequency that is a member of the set of carrier frequencies,

wherein engaging in idle handover is performed in response to (i) the selected relative prioritization defining a lower priority level for the different carrier frequency than for the particular carrier frequency, (ii) the WCD determining that the different carrier frequency has a threshold high signal strength, and (iii) the WCD determining that the particular carrier frequency has a threshold low signal strength.