Patent ID: 8649335
Filing Date: 2014-02-11
Classification: H04L,H04M,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method for providing cellular access to a mobile device, comprising: detecting, by a processor within the mobile device, foreign networks available at a location of the mobile device, wherein a home network operated by a home wireless service provider is not accessible at the location of the mobile device; determining, by the processor, that none of the detected foreign networks are roaming partners of the home wireless service provider; providing a user of the mobile device with an option to initiate a process to establish a lease agreement between the home wireless service provider and a foreign wireless service provider to lease a portion of a universal integrated circuit card of the mobile device, provided by the home wireless service provider, to the foreign wireless service provider for provisioning service credentials to provide the mobile device with cellular access to a foreign network operated by the foreign wireless service provider; responsive to receiving a selection of the option via a user interface of the mobile device, providing subscriber credentials to a web application associated with a negotiation server to authenticate a subscriber for the lease agreement, wherein the subscriber credentials include a lease duration requested by the subscriber and wherein the negotiation server, which is a third party server not affiliated with any foreign network, selects a foreign network among the foreign networks detected to be available in the location of the mobile device and negotiates the lease agreement, including charging policies, between the home wireless service provider and a foreign wireless service provider of the selected foreign network to lease the portion of the universal integrated circuit card to provide the mobile device with cellular access to the selected foreign network.