Patent ID: 8611896

Claim:
A method in a receiver of using user-preference information for a cell search procedure in a wireless communication system, comprising: receiving in the receiver radio signals transmitted by at least one cell in the wireless communication system providing acceptable service; determining information about a radio environment of the receiver by analyzing the received radio signals transmitted only by at least one cell in the wireless communication system of a preferred network operator; and storing the determined information in association with user-preference information in a memory, wherein stored information causes a cell search procedure conducted when the receiver is not connected to the wireless communication system of the preferred network operator to prefer to search for a cell in the wireless communication system of the preferred network operator; storing the determined information in association with user-preference information comprises generating a user-specific Neighbor Cell List; and the user-specific Neighbor Cell List is gradually built up as time passes; and when the receiver is not connected to the wireless communication system of the preferred network operator, preferentially conducting a cell search procedure for a cell in the wireless communication system of the preferred network operator.