Communications device, communications service and methods for providing and operating the same

Abstract

A communications device for use on a communications network comprising: at least two communications profiles, each communications profile being associated with a geographic region within which the communications device is to be used processing means arranged to allow an active communications profile to be selected from the at least two communications profiles.

1 . A communications device for use on a communications network comprising: at least two communications profiles, each communications profile being associated with a geographic region within which the communications device is to be used a processor arranged to allow an active communications profile to be selected from the at least two communications profiles. 
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a plurality of communications profiles. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises more than one communications profile per geographic region. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising an output module to output a user selection invitation to select an active communications profile. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising an input module for receiving location data related to the location of the communications device. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the location data received at the input module comprises global position system (GPS) data and the device further comprises a data store detailing the geographical coverage of each communications profile. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the location data received at the input module is derived from an activation or registration process with a communications network on activation or registration of the communications device. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein, in the event there is more than one communications profile for a given location, the processor is arranged to select a subset of the at least two communications profiles in dependence on the location data received by the input module and the geographic regions that the at least two communications profiles are associated with. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the subset of the at least communications profiles is output by the output module in the form of a user selection invitation. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the processor is arranged to automatically select an active communications profile in dependence on the location data received by the input module and the geographic regions that the at least two communications profiles are associated with. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising an output module arranged to output a communications signal to a home network operator with which the device is associated or to a communications server that manages communications traffic between the at least two communications profiles associated with the device, the signal comprising details of the active communications profile. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 7 , further comprising output means arranged to output a communications signal to a communications server that manages communications traffic between the at least two communications profiles associated with the device, the signal comprising details of the active communications profile. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the output module is arranged to output the communications signal in the form of a short messaging service (SMS) message. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the output module is arranged to output the communications signal via an IP connection. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the output module is arranged to output the communications signal over a telecommunications network that the device is connected to. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the communications signal comprises data in DTMF format. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the communications traffic comprises one or more of the following types: voice calls, SMS communications, MMS communications, data traffic. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein processor is arranged to intercept communications directed to a recipient outside of the current geographic region and to redirect then to an access gateway associated with a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) communications network. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the access gateway is a VoIP access gateway and has an access number that is local to the geographic region associated with the current communications profile. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein each communications profile comprises an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI). 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein each communications profile comprises a mobile directory number (MSISDN). 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein each communications profile is associated with a set of user-defined preferences. 
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a subscriber identity module (SIM). RUIM or USIM. 
     
     
         24 . A subscriber identity module for a mobile communications device comprising; at least two communications profiles, each profile being associated with a subscriber; and, each communications profile being associated with a geographic region within which the communications device is to be used a processor arranged to allow an active communications profile to be selected from the at least two communications profiles.