Method of access provision

Abstract

A method is proposed for providing a mobile terminal associated with a user with access to a visited Internet Protocol based mobile communication network. The mobile terminal generates a network information element that comprises a home network identifying element that identifies a home network of the user, and a domain name of the visited IP based mobile communication network as a base domain identifier. The mobile terminal then provides this special network information element to the visited IP based mobile communication network, which executes a subscription generating procedure for generating a subscription for the user upon recognizing the special network information element and provides the mobile terminal access based on the generated subscription.

1 . A method of providing a mobile terminal associated with a user with access to a visited Internet Protocol based mobile communication network, comprising:
 said mobile terminal generating a network information element that comprises
 a home network identifying element that identifies a home network of said user, and 
 a domain name of said visited IP based mobile communication network as a base domain identifier, 
   said mobile terminal providing said network information element to said visited IP based mobile communication network,   said visited IP based mobile communication network executing a subscription generating procedure for generating a subscription for said user upon recognizing said network information element, and providing said mobile terminal access based on said subscription.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said network information element is provided in an identity string. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein said Internet Protocol based mobile communication network is an IP Multimedia Subsystem. 
     
     
         4 . The method of one of  claims 1  to  3 , wherein said home network of said user is a circuit switched mobile communication network. 
     
     
         5 . The method of one of the preceding claims, wherein said subscription generation procedure comprises generating one or more identity strings for said subscription. 
     
     
         6 . The method of one of the preceding claims, furthermore comprising that said visited IP based mobile communication network communicates with said home network of said user on the basis of information in said home network identifying element, for obtaining home subscription data related to said user's home network subscription. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claims 5  and  6 , wherein generating of one or more identity strings for said subscription comprises using at least parts of said home subscription data. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  or  7 , wherein said home subscription data comprises authentication information, and said subscription generation procedure comprises a routine for authenticating said user on the basis of said authentication information. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising first establishing a secured communication channel between said mobile terminal and said visited IP based mobile communication network independently of said home subscription data using a communication securing protocol, and then exchanging authentication related messages over said secured communication channel. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said communication securing protocol is one of the Transport Layer Security protocol and the Secure Sockets Layer protocol. 
     
     
         11 . The method of one of  claims 6  to  10 , wherein said home subscription data comprises home network service settings information, and said subscription generating procedure comprises a step of generating for said subscription visited network service settings in accordance with a service settings information format of said visited IP based mobile communication network, using said home network service settings information. 
     
     
         12 . The method of one of  claims 6  to  11 , wherein said visited Internet Protocol based mobile communication network sends an addressing indicator to said home network for routing incoming calls for the user. 
     
     
         13 . A mobile terminal comprising
 a transceiver and a controller, said controller being arranged for communication via said transceiver with a home network of a user of said mobile communication terminal and for communication via said transceiver with a visited Internet Protocol based mobile communication network, said controller comprising a network registration control part arranged for generating a network information element that comprises
 a home network identifying element that identifies a home network of said user, and 
 a domain name of said visited IP based mobile communication network as a base domain identifier, and for providing said network information element to said visited IP based mobile communication network. 
   
     
     
         14 . A method of controlling a mobile terminal, comprising a transceiver and a controller, said controller being arranged for communication via said transceiver with a home network of a user of said mobile communication terminal and for communication via said transceiver with a visited Internet Protocol based mobile communication network, said method comprising:
 generating a network information element that comprises
 a home network identifying element that identifies the home network of said user, and 
 a domain name of said visited IP based mobile communication network as a base domain identifier, and providing said network information element to said visited IP based mobile communication network. 
   
     
     
         15 . A computer program comprising computer code parts designed for executing the steps of the method of  claim 14  when executed on a mobile communication terminal. 
     
     
         16 . A data carrier storing the computer program of  claim 15 . 
     
     
         17 . An entity of an Internet Protocol based mobile communication network comprising a transceiver and a controller, said controller being arranged to receive via said transceiver a network information element provided by a mobile terminal, said controller comprising an processing part for analyzing said network information element, said entity being characterized in that said controller is arranged for recognizing whether said network information element comprises a home network identifying element that identifies a home network of a user of said mobile terminal and a domain name of said IP based mobile communication network as a base domain identifier, where said home network is different from said IP based mobile communication network, and for executing a subscription generating procedure for generating a subscription for said user upon recognizing that said network information element comprises said home network identifying element and said domain name. 
     
     
         18 . The entity of  claim 17 , wherein said network information element is comprised in an identity string. 
     
     
         19 . The entity of  claim 17  or  18 , wherein said Internet Protocol based mobile communication network is an IP Multimedia Subsystem. 
     
     
         20 . The entity of  claim 19 , wherein said entity is one of a Home Subscription Server and an Application Server. 
     
     
         21 . The entity of one of  claims 17  to  20 , wherein said subscription generation procedure comprises generating one or more identity strings for said subscription. 
     
     
         22 . The entity of one of  claims 17  to  21 , wherein said controller is furthermore arranged for communicating with said home network of said user on the basis of information in said home network identifying element, for obtaining home subscription data related to said user's home network subscription. 
     
     
         23 . The entity of  claims 21  and  22 , wherein said controller is arranged for said generating of one or more identity strings for said subscription using at least parts of said home subscription data. 
     
     
         24 . The entity of  claim 22  or  23 , wherein said home subscription data comprises authentication information, and said subscription generation procedure comprises a routine for authenticating said user on the basis of said authentication information. 
     
     
         25 . The entity of  claim 24 , wherein said controller is arranged for first establishing a secured communication channel between said mobile terminal and said visited IP based mobile communication network independently of said home subscription data using a communication securing protocol, and then exchanging authentication related messages over said secured communication channel. 
     
     
         26 . The entity of  claim 25 , wherein said communication securing protocol is one of the Transport Layer Security protocol and the Secure Sockets Layer protocol. 
     
     
         27 . The entity of one of  claims 22  to  26 , wherein said home subscription data comprises home network service settings information, and said controller is arranged for generating for said subscription visited network service settings in accordance with a service settings information format of said visited IP based mobile communication network, using said home network service settings information. 
     
     
         28 . The entity of one of  claims 22  to  27 , wherein said entity is arranged for sending an addressing indicator to said home network for routing incoming calls for the user. 
     
     
         29 . A method of controlling an entity of an Internet Protocol based mobile communication network comprising a transceiver and a controller, said controller being arranged to receive via said transceiver a network information element provided by a mobile terminal, said controller comprising a processing part for analyzing said network information element, said method comprising:
 recognizing whether said network information element comprises a home network identifying element that identifies a home network of a user of said mobile terminal and a domain name of said IP based mobile communication network as a base domain identifier, where said home network is different from said IP based mobile communication network, and executing a subscription generating procedure for generating a subscription for said user upon recognizing that said network information element comprises said home network identifying element and said domain name.   
     
     
         30 . A computer program comprising computer code parts designed for executing the steps of the method of  claim 29  when executed on an entity of an IP based mobile communication network. 
     
     
         31 . A data carrier storing the computer program of  claim 30 .