Patent ID: 8385200

Claim:
A system that provides load balancing for wireless communications, comprising: memory storing computer-executable instructions and residing within a component of a network; processor, communicatively coupled to the memory and residing at least in part within the component of the network, that facilitates execution of the computer-executable instructions to at least: qualify a mobile terminal for an inter-network selection procedure that overrides a pre-programmed terminal-initiated network selection protocol of the mobile terminal in response to satisfaction of a qualification criterion by the mobile terminal, wherein the qualification criterion is derived from a combination of a multi-mode capability of the mobile terminal, existence of data-related services on a subscriber account associated with the mobile terminal, and presence of the mobile terminal within a geographic region in which a first mobile network and a second mobile network satisfy a loading condition related to terminal load disparity of the first mobile network and the second mobile network; initiate a data usage evaluation period in response to the mobile terminal qualifying for the inter-network selection, wherein the data usage evaluation period is at least five days in duration; monitor data usage of the mobile terminal over the data usage evaluation period; compile a total data usage quantity consumed by data-related transmissions of the mobile terminal during the data usage evaluation period; terminate the data usage evaluation period upon expiration of the duration; compare the total data usage quantity with a target data usage quantity, wherein the target data usage quantity is a function at least of a terminal loading parameter of the first mobile network or the second mobile network; and establish the first mobile network as a default network for voice and data traffic of the mobile terminal in response to the total data usage quantity satisfying a condition, the condition being defined by a function related to the target data usage quantity, wherein the first mobile network has a lower maximum data rate than the second mobile network.