Selection between home and visiting networks
A method performed by a user equipment (UE) connected to a first home cell of a home public land mobile network (HPLMN). The method includes determining a type of the first home cell, when the type is a first type, determining a first quality of the connection to the first home cell, in response to the first quality not satisfying a first predetermined threshold or a determination that the type is a second type, disconnecting from the HPLMN, connecting to a first visited cell of a visited public land mobile network (VPLMN), determining a second quality of the connection to the first visited cell and when the second quality of the connection to the first visited cell is above a second predetermined threshold, performing a data exchange via the first visited cell.
1. A method, comprising:
at a user equipment (UE) connected to a first home cell of a home public land mobile network (HPLMN):
determining that the first home cell of the HPLMN corresponds to a type of radio access technology (RAT);
when the type of the first home cell of the HPLMN corresponds to a first type of RAT, determining a first quality of a connection to the first home cell;
in response to the first quality not satisfying a first predetermined threshold, disconnecting from the HPLMN;
when the first home cell of the HPLMN corresponds to a second type of RAT, initiating a procedure that causes the UE to disconnect from the HPLMN;
in response to disconnecting from the HPLMN, connecting to a first visited cell of a visited public land mobile network (VPLMN);
determining a second quality of a connection to the first visited cell of the VPLMN; and
when the second quality of the connection to the first visited cell of the VPLMN is above a second predetermined threshold, performing a data exchange via the first visited cell.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first quality and second quality comprise throughput rates.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the throughput rates are determined over a respective period of time.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first type of RAT comprises one of a Long Term Evolution (LTE) cell or a 5G cell and the second type of RAT comprises one of a 2G cell or a 3G cell.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the disconnecting from the HPLMN comprises triggering a radio link failure (RLF) and declaring an out-of-service (OOS) to the HPLMN.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
when the second quality is below the second predetermined threshold, scanning for a second visited cell; and
when the second visited cell is found via the scan, connecting to the second visited cell;
determining a third quality of a connection to the second visited cell; and
when the third quality of the connection to the second visited cell is above the second predetermined threshold, performing the data exchange via the second visited cell.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
when the second quality is below the second predetermined threshold, scanning for a second visited cell; and
when the second visited cell is not found, connecting to a second home cell of the HPLMN, wherein the second home cell corresponds to the second type of RAT.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
when the first quality is below the first predetermined threshold and prior to disconnecting from the HPLMN, scanning for a second home cell of the HPLMN, wherein the second home cell corresponds to the first type of RAT;
disconnecting from the first home cell;
connecting to the second home cell;
determining a third quality of a connection to the second home cell; and
when the third quality is above the first predetermined threshold, performing the data exchange via the second home cell.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining whether a data roaming capability setting is enabled.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the data exchange via the first visited cell is prevented when the data roaming capability setting is disabled.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first visited cell comprises one of a last camped cell of the VLPMN for the UE or a cell on an operator PLMN (OPLMN) list obtained by the UE.
12. A user equipment (UE), comprising:
a transceiver configured to connect to a first home cell of a home public land mobile network (HPLMN);
a processor configured to determine that the first home cell of the HPLMN corresponds to a type of radio access technology (RAT), when the first home cell of the HPLMN corresponds to a first type of RAT, determine a first quality of a connection to the first home cell, the processor, in response to the first quality not satisfying a first predetermined threshold, instructs the transceiver to disconnect from the HPLMN and connect to a first visited cell of a visited public land mobile network (VPLMN), the processor, in response to determining the first home cell of the HPLMN corresponds to a second type of RAT, initiating a procedure that causes the UE to disconnect from the HPLMN and connect to the first visited cell of the VPLMN, when connected to the first visited cell of the VPLMN, determine a second quality of a connection to the first visited cell and when the second quality of the connection to the first visited cell of the VPLMN is above a second predetermined threshold, performing a data exchange via the first visited cell.
13. The UE of claim 12 , wherein the first quality and second quality comprise throughput rates, wherein the throughput rates are determined over a respective period of time.
14. The UE of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to, when the second quality is below the second predetermined threshold, instruct the transceiver to scan for a second visited cell and when the second visited cell is found via the scan, instruct the transceiver to connect to the second visited cell, determine a third quality of a connection to the second visited cell and when the third quality of the connection to the second visited cell is above the second predetermined threshold, performing the data exchange via the second visited cell.
15. The UE of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to, when the second quality is below the second predetermined threshold, instruct the transceiver to scan for a second visited cell and when the second visited cell is not found, instruct the transceiver to connect to a second home cell of the HPLMN, wherein the second home cell corresponds to the second type of RAT.
16. A user equipment (UE), comprising:
circuitry configured to connect to a first home cell of a home public land mobile network (HPLMN);
circuitry configured to determine that the first home cell of the HPLMN corresponds to a second type of radio access technology (RAT);
when the first home cell of the HPLMN corresponds to a first type of RAT, circuitry configured to determine a first quality of a connection to the first home cell;
in response to the first quality not satisfying a first predetermined threshold, circuitry configured to disconnect from the HPLMN;
when the first home cell of the HPLMN corresponds to a second type of RAT, circuitry configured to initiate a procedure that causes the UE to disconnect from the HPLMN;
in response to disconnecting from the HPLMN, circuitry configured to connect to a first visited cell of a visited public land mobile network (VPLMN);
circuitry configured to determine a second quality of a connection to the first visited cell; and
when the second quality of the connection to the first visited cell is above a second predetermined threshold, circuitry configured to perform a data exchange via the first visited cell.
17. A method, comprising:
at a user equipment (UE) connected to a cell of a home public land mobile network (HPLMN):
determining a service disruption in the HPLMN, wherein the service disruption indicates that no cells of the HPLMN are currently available for connection;
issuing a scan request, wherein a scan request result includes cells of a non-roaming visited public land mobile network (VPLMN), the non-roaming VPLMN lacking a roaming agreement with the HPLMN;
when the scan request result includes at least one cell of the HPLMN or a roaming VPLMN, the roaming VPLMN having the roaming agreement with the HPLMN, connecting to the HPLMN or the roaming VPLMN via the at least one cell, wherein a connection to the at least one cell of the HPLMN or the roaming VPLMN comprises a full service connection, wherein the connecting is in response to the scan request without a further scan request; and
when the scan request includes only cells of the non-roaming VPLMN, connecting to one of the cells of the non-roaming VPLMN, wherein a connection to the one of the cells of the non-roaming VPLMN comprises a limited service connection.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the limited service connection is an emergency mode.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein, when the scan request result includes at least one cell of the HPLMN or a roaming VPLMN, a priority is given to at least one cell of the HPLMN.