Patent ID: 8135406

Claim:
A method for use by a mobile communication device in controlling the selection of a communication network for communications, the method comprising: maintaining a communication link with a radio access network, the radio access network being part of a generic access network which further includes a gateway controller; maintaining, via the generic access network, a service connection with a core network of a visited Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) for communications; repeatedly performing the following acts while the service connection is maintained, via the generic area network, with the core network of the visited PLMN for communications: setting and running a timer; in response to an expiration of the timer: sending, via the radio access network, a service connection request for a service connection with a core network of a home PLMN of the mobile communication device; and determining if the service connection request has been accepted, and if the service connection request is determined to have been accepted: establishing and maintaining, via the generic access network, a service connection with the core network of the home PLMN for communications.