Optimization of access technology search in multiple equivalent home public land mobile network (ehplmn) deployments

Abstract

Communication systems can enhance customer experience by quickly and efficiently associating and disassociating radio access technologies (RATs) from available networks in a deployment. In one aspect, a user equipment (UE) can optimize usage of a PLMN selector file (e.g., HPLMNwACT) stored within the subscriber identity module (SIM) that comprises a combination of mobile country code/mobile network code (MCC/MNC) data and RAT data (e.g., customized based on mobile network operator (MNO) requirements and/or deployments). Moreover, during PLMN selection, the UE can only search for a RAT that is associated with a MCC/MNC combination, resulting in faster PLMN selection and reduced UE resource consumption. Further, the PLMN selector file can be modified based on MNO preferences via an over-the-air update.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, by a user equipment comprising a processor, via over-the-air messaging, update data that updates a public land mobile network selector file to an updated public land mobile network selector file, wherein the updated public land mobile network selector file comprises combination data indicative of ranked combinations comprising, for each public land mobile network identifier of a group of public land mobile network identifiers, only one combination of a single radio access technology linked to the public land mobile network identifier; and   searching, by the user equipment based on the ranked combinations, for a combination associated with a home public land mobile network.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the searching comprises searching in a ranked order of the ranked combinations. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the update data is based on predicted network load information, and the predicted network load information has been determined to exceed a threshold network load. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the update data is employable to steer the user equipment to couple to an operator-selected access point device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the update data has been determined based on classification data indicative of a type of the user equipment. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the update data has been determined based on network planning information indicative of a legacy radio access technology that has been shut down. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the update data has been determined based on availability data indicative of an availability of radio access technologies within an area associated with the user equipment. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the update data instructs the user equipment to remove specific combinations from the public land mobile network selector file. 
     
     
         9 . Network equipment, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
 sending, via over-the-air messaging to a user equipment, update data that updates a public land mobile network selector file to an updated public land mobile network selector file, wherein the updated public land mobile network selector file comprises combination data indicative of prioritized combinations comprising, for each public land mobile network identifier of a group of public land mobile network identifiers, only one combination of a single radio access technology linked to the public land mobile network identifier; and 
 instructing the user equipment to search, based on the prioritized combinations, for a combination associated with a home public land mobile network. 
   
     
     
         10 . The network equipment of  claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise determining the update data based on predicted network load information, and the predicted network load information has been determined to exceed a threshold network load. 
     
     
         11 . The network equipment of  claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise determining the update data based on classification data indicative of a type of the user equipment. 
     
     
         12 . The network equipment of  claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise determining the update data based on network planning information indicative of a legacy radio access technology that has been shut down. 
     
     
         13 . The network equipment of  claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise determining the update data based on availability data indicative of an availability of radio access technologies within an area associated with the user equipment. 
     
     
         14 . The network equipment of  claim 9 , wherein the update data instructs the user equipment to remove specified combinations from the public land mobile network selector file. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
 transmitting, via over-the-air messaging to a mobile device, update data that updates a public land mobile network selector file to an updated public land mobile network selector file, wherein the updated public land mobile network selector file comprises combination data indicative of ranked combinations comprising, for public land mobile network identifiers of a group of public land mobile network identifiers, only one respective combination of a single radio access technology linked to a public land mobile network identifier; and   directing the mobile device to search, based on the ranked combinations, for a combination associated with a home public land mobile network.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise determining the update data based on predicted network load information, and the predicted network load information has been determined to exceed a threshold network load. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise determining the update data based on classification data indicative of a type of the mobile device. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise determining the update data based on network planning information indicative of a legacy radio access technology that has been shut down. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise determining the update data based on availability data indicative of an availability of radio access technologies within an area associated with the mobile device. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the update data instructs the mobile device to delete at least one of the ranked combinations from the public land mobile network selector file.