System and method for mobile telephone roaming

Abstract

A foreign wireless communication system is operated in a local communication network as if the foreign wireless communication system were a local wireless communication system. A data communication link is established between the wireless communication system and a service provider in a local wireless communication network. An outgoing request for authentication information is communicated from the wireless communication system to a remote administration system over the data communication link. The authentication information is received over the data communication link from the administration system and is transmitted over a signal link from the wireless communication system to the service provider. A requested wireless communication service is received at the wireless communication system based on authentication of the wireless communication system by the service provider using the authentication information.

1 . A wireless communication device, comprising:
 one or more wireless transceivers,   one or more processors;   one or more memories; and   one or more programs stored in the memory which when executed by the one or more processors cause the wireless communication device to perform steps comprising:
 enabling an initial setting of the wireless communication device and a remote administration system; 
 establishing a data communication link to transmit information among the wireless communication device and the remote administration system; 
 establishing a local authentication information request in response to a local authentication request by a local cellular communication network, wherein the local authentication information request comprises information regarding the local authentication request for local authentication information received by the wireless communication device from the local cellular communication network, and wherein the wireless communication device is not subscribed to the local cellular communication network, and; 
 relaying the local authentication information request to the remote administration system via the data communication link; 
 obtaining suitable local authentication information from the remote administration system via the data communication link; 
 establishing a signal link for providing local wireless services by the local cellular communication network to the wireless communication device by sending the local authentication information obtained from the remote administration system to the local cellular communication network, the signal link being distinct from the data communication link; and 
 providing a communication service to the wireless communication device according to the established local wireless services. 
   
     
     
         2 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication device is a wireless communication client. 
     
     
         3 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication device is a wireless extension unit. 
     
     
         4 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the signal link is established on a same communication network as the data communication link. 
     
     
         5 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the signal link is established on a different communication network than the data communication link. 
     
     
         6 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the steps further comprise:
 receiving one or more calls associated with a local telephone number assigned by the remote administration system and associated with the local authentication information.   
     
     
         7 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a subscriber identity module (SIM) card,   wherein the steps further comprise storing at least a portion of the local authentication information in the SIM card.   
     
     
         8 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the steps further comprise relaying verification information to the remote administration system, wherein the verification information identifies the wireless communication device as being associated with a user account of the remote administration system. 
     
     
         9 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the steps further comprise requesting access to a desired local wireless service by sending a request to the local cellular communication network over the signal link. 
     
     
         10 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the local authentication information request for authentication information comprises a unique subscriber identifier, a wireless communication client identifier, a password, a current location of the wireless communication device, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the local authentication information request comprises a first local authentication information request, wherein the local authentication information comprises first local authentication information, and wherein the steps further comprise:
 relaying a second local authentication information request to the remote administration system via the data communication link, and 
 obtaining suitable second local authentication information from the remote administration system at the via the data communication link. 
   
     
     
         12 . The wireless communication device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a non-local calls database,   wherein the steps further comprise:
 selecting a local number from the non-local calls database according to a current location of the wireless communication device, and 
 providing, using the local number, a communication service between the wireless communication device and a device corresponding to a non-local number. 
   
     
     
         13 . A non-transitory computer-readable media comprising programming instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a wireless communication device cause the wireless communication device to perform steps comprising:
 enabling an initial setting of the wireless communication device and a remote administration system;   establishing a data communication link to transmit information among the wireless communication device and the remote administration system;   establishing a local authentication information request in response to a local authentication request by a local cellular communication network, wherein the local authentication information request comprises information regarding the local authentication request for local authentication information received by the wireless communication device from the local cellular communication network, and wherein the wireless communication device is not subscribed to the local cellular communication network, and;   relaying the local authentication information request to the remote administration system via the data communication link;   obtaining suitable local authentication information from the remote administration system via the data communication link;   establishing a signal link for providing local wireless services by the local cellular communication network to the wireless communication device by sending the local authentication information obtained from the remote administration system to the local cellular communication network, the signal link being distinct from the data communication link; and   providing a communication service to the wireless communication device according to the established local wireless services.   
     
     
         14 . A method performed by a wireless communication device, the method comprising:
 enabling an initial setting of the wireless communication device and a remote administration system;   establishing a data communication link to transmit information among the wireless communication device and the remote administration system;   establishing a local authentication information request in response to a local authentication request by a local cellular communication network, wherein the local authentication information request comprises information regarding the local authentication request for local authentication information received by the wireless communication device from the local cellular communication network, and wherein the wireless communication device is not subscribed to the local cellular communication network, and;   relaying the local authentication information request to the remote administration system via the data communication link;   obtaining suitable local authentication information from the remote administration system via the data communication link;   establishing a signal link for providing local wireless services by the local cellular communication network to the wireless communication device by sending the local authentication information obtained from the remote administration system to the local cellular communication network, the signal link being distinct from the data communication link; and   providing a communication service to the wireless communication device according to the established local wireless services.