Patent ID: 8538428
Filing Date: 2013-09-17
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A method of determining radio coverage provided by a telecommunications system and providing coverage information that is specific to a particular user of a particular mobile device, wherein the telecommunications system includes a plurality of networks; the method including: operating the particular mobile device to record and store on the particular mobile device a characteristic for the plurality of networks of the radio coverage provided when the particular mobile device is at each of a plurality of locations visited by the particular user of the particular mobile device, and enabling retrieval of the recorded characteristic to evaluate the radio coverage provided at the locations by the respective networks to the device for the particular user; wherein the characteristic is signal strength and/or quality; and wherein the operating step is performed while the particular mobile device is in an idle or inactive communication mode, and wherein the operating step is interrupted when the particular mobile device is required to operate in an active communication mode; whereby the particular user can determine which of the plurality of networks provides the best coverage for his or her particular needs, and is provided with a personalized assessment of the coverage quality provided by different network operators based on locations that the particular user visits.