Patent ID: 7171203

Claim:
Apparatus for a mobile node selectably operable to communicate data within at least a first selected frequency band within which a group of networks are operable to communicate pursuant to unregulated use, said apparatus for facilitating selection of at least a first selected network of the group of networks with which to attempt, by the mobile node, to communicate the data, said apparatus comprising: a storage element embodied at the mobile node, said storage element for storing at least a first identifier identifying the at least the first selected network operable to communicate pursuant to the unregulated use; a network detector embodied at the mobile node, said network detector for detecting which networks of the group of networks operable to communicate pursuant to the unregulated use are within communication range of the mobile node; a selector adapted to receive indications of the at least the first identifier stored at said storage element and to receive indications of detections made by said network detector, said selector for selecting which, if any, network, of the group of networks, as the at least the first selected network with which to attempt to communicate the data, selection made by said selector of networks, if any, identified by the at least the first identifier and also detected by said network detector to be within communication range and not to select any networks not identified at said storage element.