Patent ID: 8219080

Claim:
A method in a mobile device for use in selecting a public land mobile network (PLMN) for communications, the mobile device being configured to access a removable identity card which stores a current user-controlled PLMN list, the current user-controlled PLMN list including a plurality of network identifications having a ranking, the mobile device including a user interface comprising a display, the method comprising: storing an existing list of network identifications associated with a plurality of PLMNs that are available in a current location of the mobile device; displaying a plurality of input selection options via the display, the plurality of input selection options corresponding to a plurality of selectable network attribute type preferences; receiving, via the user interface, a selection of one of the input selection options provided via the display, the selected input selection option corresponding to one of the plurality of selectable network attribute type preferences, the selected network attribute type preference being indicative of a preference to prioritize network selection based on one of a plurality of network attributes types; in response to receiving the selection of the selected input selection option via the user interface: modifying, by the mobile device, a ranking of the network identifications in the existing list in accordance with a ranking of network attributes of the selected network attribute type which are attributed to the plurality of PLMNs, for producing a ranked list of network identifications associated with the plurality of PLMNs; modifying, by the mobile device, the ranked list of network identifications based on the network identifications and rankings in the current user-controlled PLMN list, for producing a new user-controlled PLMN list which includes network identifications associated with a plurality of PLMNs that are available in the same current location of the mobile device; replacing the current user-controlled PLMN list with the new user-controlled PLMN list in the removable identity card; and performing an automatic network selection process with use of the new user-controlled PLMN list for selecting a PLMN for communications.