Patent ID: 8897257

Claim:
A method for selection of an access network in a communication network comprising a plurality of heterogeneous access networks wherein a mobile terminal is attached to one of the plurality of heterogeneous access networks, the method comprising: receiving network status information at an access network information transfer manager, wherein the access network information transfer manager is common to the plurality of heterogeneous access networks in the communication network; receiving location information of the mobile terminal at the access network information transfer manager; determining by the access network information transfer manager at least one neighboring access network for the mobile terminal based on the received network status information and the received location information; generating by the access network information transfer manager at least one context for the at least one neighboring access network and the mobile terminal; and transmitting by the access network information transfer manager the at least one context to each of the at least one neighboring access network and the mobile terminal, receiving the at least one context at the mobile terminal, selecting by the mobile terminal the access network among the least one neighboring network based on the at least one context, wherein the generating of the at least one context is based on capabilities and parameters associated with the mobile terminal and capabilities and parameters of the at least one neighboring access network taking into account access technology, and wherein the access network information transfer manager common to the plurality of heterogeneous access networks performs a context transfer related to said mobile terminal.