Method for joint use of a radio access network by several mobile radio providers

• US 20070161373A1
• Filed: 07/28/2004
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Deutschland GmbH (Deutsche Telekom AG), Vici Gig Harbor
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile Deutschland GmbH (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Klatt, Axel
• Granted Patent: US 9,386,513 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/434
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

A method for mobile radio suppliers to provide or share or jointly use a mobile radio access network is provided. Said method is characterized in that a single radio access network (9; 12), which is operated according to UMTS standard, cdma2000 standard, or GSM standard, for example, is jointly used by several mobile radio suppliers. In order to do so, the mobile radio networks comprise a common radio access network but separate core networks. Preferably several PLMN IDs are transmitted by the common radio access network and are made available to the user terminal for selection. The inventive method allows a joint radio access network to be made accessible to different mobile radio suppliers, a mobile radio user selecting one of several transmitted preferably PLMN IDs and using services (CS or PS) via the associated core network of the selected mobile radio operator.

Claims

1-29. -29. (canceled)

30. A method for providing or sharing or jointly using a mobile radio access network by several mobile radio providers, comprising the steps of

providing a single radio access network (9;

12) for jointly use by several mobile radio providers, wherein for differentiating between a core networks (6, 7;

10, 11) of the different mobile radio providers, the respective identity of the network operator (PLMN identity) is provided in the radio access network (RAN or BSS) to the mobile radio subscriber (UE or MS) by transmitting more than one mobile radio operator identity, PLMN identity, on an organization channel BCCH;

transmitting more than one PLMN identity in a mobile radio system operating according to the UMTS standard in the Master Information Block (MIB) or in System Information Block 1 (SIB1), or in a mobile radio system operating according to the GSM standard on the System Information Type 3 (SI3).

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein network elements of the core network (6, 7;

10, 11) (Core Network, for example MSC and/or GSN) required for providing the mobile radio services are separately provided by each of the mobile radio providers.

32. The method according to claim 30, wherein network elements of the core network (6, 7;

10, 11) (CN) are used for providing voice connections (MSC), whereas other network elements for providing IP connections (packet network, GSN) are each provided by the different operators.

33. The method according to claim 30, wherein more than one PLMN identity is transmitted in a different System Information Block other than the Master Information Block (MIB) and the System Information Block 1 (SIB1) on the BCCH of a mobile radio system operating according to the UMTS standard.

34. The method according to claim 30, wherein more than one PLMN identity is transmitted in a different block other than the System Information Type 3 (SI3) on the BCCH of a mobile radio system operating according to the GSM standard.

35. The method according to claim 30, wherein when a connection is requested, the subscriber/the subscriber terminal (13) notifies the radio access network (9;

12) of the different core networks (6, 7;

10, 11) or PLMNs with which the connection is to be set up.

36. The method according to claim 30, wherein when a connection is requested, the subscriber/the subscriber terminal (13) notifies the radio access network (9;

12) of the different core networks (6, 7;

10, 11) with which the connection is to be set up, and that this notification occurs with the transmission of the PLMN ID in the RRC CONNECTION REQUEST or the INITIAL DIRECT TRANSFER message in a mobile radio system operating according to the UMTS standard.

37. The method according to claim 30, wherein when a connection is requested, the subscriber/the subscriber terminal (13) notifies the radio access network (9;

12) of the different core networks (6, 7;

10, 11) with which the connection is to be set up, and that this notification occurs with the transmission of the PLMN ID in the RRC CONNECTION REQUEST or the INITIAL DIRECT TRANSFER message in a mobile radio system operating according to the UMTS standard, wherein the PLMN identity is provided as MCC+MNC.

38. The method according to claim 30, wherein when a connection is requested, the subscriber/the subscriber terminal (13) notifies the radio access network (9;

12) of the different core networks (6, 7;

10, 11) with which the connection is to be set up, and that this notification occurs with the transmission of the network operator ID (for example PLMN ID) in the RRC CONNECTION REQUEST or the INITIAL DIRECT TRANSFER message in a mobile radio system operating according to the UMTS standard, wherein only the MCC of the PLMN identity is transmitted.

39. The method according to claim 30, wherein when a connection is requested, the subscriber/the subscriber terminal (13) notifies the radio access network (9;

12) of the different core networks (6, 7;

10, 11) with which the connection is to be set up, and that this notification occurs with the transmission of the network operator ID (for example PLMN ID) in the RRC CONNECTION REQUEST or the INITIAL DIRECT TRANSFER message in a mobile radio system operating according to the UMTS standard, wherein the PLMN identity is represented by an integer (1, 2, 3 . . . n) or a bit string (e.g., “

001”

), and the actual PLMN identity is determined from the sequential order of transmission of the different PLMN identities on the BCCH.

40. The method according to claim 30, wherein when a connection is requested, the subscriber/the subscriber terminal (13) notifies the radio access network (9;

12) of the different core networks (6, 7;

10, 11) with which the connection is to be set up, and that this notification occurs with the transmission of the network operator ID (for example PLMN ID) neither in the RRC CONNECTION REQUEST nor the INITIAL DIRECT TRANSFER message in a mobile radio system operating according to the UMTS standard.

41. The method according to claim 30, wherein more than one PLMN ID is transmitted in the System Information Block 1 (SIB1) on the BCCH of a mobile radio system operating according to the UMTS standard or core network information of more than one core network is transmitted within an SIB1.

42. The method according to claim 30, wherein a signal represented, for example, by a single bit is transmitted on the organization channel (BCCH) of the radio access network (9;

12) to indicate if the radio network resources administration unit (RCN and/or BSC) provides the connection request of the subscriber/the subscriber terminal (13) with one of the core networks (6, 7;

10, 11) based on the IMSI of the subscriber terminal (“

default”

selection based on the subscriber IMSI).

43. The method according to claim 30, wherein a signal represented, for example, by a single bit is transmitted on the organization channel (BCCH) of the radio access network (9;

12) to indicate if the radio network resources administration unit (RCN and/or BSC) provides the connection request of the subscriber/the subscriber terminal (13) with one of the core networks (6, 7;

10, 11) based on the IMSI of the subscriber terminal (“

default”

selection based on the subscriber IMSI), and the “

default”

signaling is selected based on the IMSI, or the mobile radio network operator ID (e.g., PLMN ID) is transmitted according to one of the previous methods by signaling (for example, one bit) on the organization channel (BCCH).

44. The method according to claim 30, wherein more than one mobile radio network operator ID (PLMN ID) is transmitted to a subscriber terminal (13) in a mobile radio network operating according to the UMTS or GSM standard.

45. The method according to claim 30, wherein additional mobile network operator IDs (e.g., PLMN IDs) and hence of network operators, which the subscriber terminal (13) is potentially permitted to use, a transmitted through dedicated signaling between radio access network (9;

12) or core network (6,7;

10, 11) and the subscriber terminal (13).

46. The method according to claim 30, wherein additional PLMN IDs are always transmitted when a subscriber terminal (13) logs on to a mobile radio network for the purpose of registration, actually uses a service, or indicates its actual location to the mobile radio network.

47. The method according to claim 30, wherein additional possible mobile radio network operator IDs are transmitted according to a dedicated network-subscriber terminal relationship or based on a transmission on the organization channel BCCH, and this information is used by the subscriber terminal (13) in such a way that radio access resources of another mobile radio operator can be used in the same way as if they were part of the registered mobile radio network.

48. The method according to claim 30, wherein additional possible mobile radio network operator IDs are transmitted according to a dedicated network-subscriber terminal relationship, and following a connection request, a subscriber terminal (13) transmits the network operator ID (PLMN ID) to the radio access network control unit (RNC/BSC) by using the method according to claim 30, and wherein the radio access network control unit (RNC/BSC) provides the corresponding connections to the requested core networks (6, 7;

10, 11) of the mobile radio network operator.

49. A system for operating several mobile radio networks, by using the method for providing or sharing or jointly using a mobile radio access network by several mobile radio providers according to claim 30, wherein the mobile radio networks comprise a common radio access network (9;

12), but separate core networks (6, 7;

10, 11).

50. The system according to claim 49, wherein that at least one of the mobile radio networks comprises a core network element (MSC or GSN) for CS and PS connections and a radio network control unit (RNC or BSC), wherein one radio network control unit (RNC or BSC) is connected with more than one respective core network element (MSC or GSN) for CS and PS connections.

51. The system according to claim 49, wherein one radio access network (RAN) is connected with more than one SGSN (for the PS domain).

52. The system according to claim 49, wherein one radio access network (RAN) is connected with more than one MSC (for the CS domain).

53. The method for selecting core network elements of mobile radio networks according to claim 30, wherein the selection of the PLMN or of these core network elements (MSC or GSN) is based on signaling the selection by the subscriber terminal (13), in particular based on the signaled PLMN ID.

54. The method according to claim 30, wherein the provided single radio access network (9;

12), operates according to the UMTS, CDMA 2,000, or GSM standard.

55. The method according to claim 32, wherein network elements of the core network (6, 7;

10, 11) (CN) are commonly used for providing voice connections (MSC).

56. The method according to claim 46, wherein the service is in the context of a “

PDP context activation”

.

57. The method according to claim 46, wherein the actual location to the mobile radio network is for moving subscriber terminals, through location registration procedures.