Patent ID: 8374602
Filing Date: 2013-02-12
Classification: H04M,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method for providing a prepaid subscriber of a Home Public Mobile Network (HPMN) with roaming services in a Visited Public Mobile Network (VPMN), the HPMN and the VPMN being partner networks, the HPMN having an associated Home Location Register (HLR) for storing subscriber profiles and an associated Prepaid System, each of the HPMN and the VPMN supporting a protocol of signaling messages, the method comprising: facilitating, via a Signal Gateway (SG) having an electronic processor, a registration of the prepaid subscriber at the VPMN, wherein the prepaid subscriber does not have a subscriber profile in the HLR to roam in the VPMN, and wherein the registration of the prepaid subscriber is facilitated by, upon detecting, via a VPMN registration message having a plurality of parameters, a registration attempt of the prepaid subscriber at the VPMN, modifying one or more of the plurality of parameters in the VPMN registration message, prior to sending the VPMN registration message to the HPMN; enabling, via the SG, mobile communications of the prepaid subscriber in the VPMN, thereby providing roaming services to the prepaid subscriber in the VPMN, wherein a protocol of signaling messages corresponding to the prepaid subscriber in the VPMN is converted via the SG into a protocol compatible with the protocol of signaling messages supported by the HPMN, when the protocols of signaling messages supported by the HPMN and the VPMN are different from each other; billing the prepaid subscriber based on pre-defined criteria via the SG; and imitating Intelligent Network (IN) support of the VPMN at the HPMN, when the HPMN has IN support, and the VPMN is unable to support the IN protocol or the IN agreement; wherein the SG interfaces with the PPS via one selected from a group consisting of a Service Control Point (SCP) associated with the HPMN, a service node associated with the HPMN, and a Short Message Service Center (SMSC) associated with the HPMN; and wherein the SG is associated with one selected from a group consisting of the HPMN, a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) associated with the HPMN, and a hub operator.