Starhome, which provides roaming services and converged solutions, has revealed that it has been granted a patent in the US (No. 7 333 808) for its Intelligent Border Roaming technology. The patent is based on Starhomes service node architecture for controlling and steering border roaming, which prevents home network subscribers from inadvertently registering to cross-border foreign networks with strong coverage.
The Intelligent Border Roaming solution ensures home network operators keep subscribers in their network when travelling near international borders. The solution is based on the underlying technology of Starhomes Intelligent Preferred Network solution, as well as Starhomes field experience in steering handsets to preferred networks. It controls all registration attempts of roaming subscribers and analyses the sequence of roaming events to identify any registration to foreign Visitor Location Registers near the border. The application then uses rejection algorithms to prevent handsets from selecting the foreign networks, and therefore reselect the home network.
As an added advantage, the home network operator can continue serving outbound subscribers who cross borders but stay within the range of the home network, further increasing network traffic and revenues.
Most subscribers, unaware their handset has switched to a foreign network, continue to make and receive calls freely, resulting in high international tariffs and dissatisfaction when the bill is received, says Starhome VP of Marketing, Orly Nesher. At the same time, the home operator loses revenues. With International Border Roaming, operators have a solid tool to prevent these incidents, and in turn generate more traffic and revenues within the network, save unnecessary compensation costs and maintain subscriber satisfaction.