GSM Mobile operators need to fulfil customer’s global mobile communication expectations by providing them with the means to access communication services worldwide. Global roaming is the ability to enjoy communication services when a subscriber travels beyond the boundaries of its operator’s own network.

Roaming requires operators to put in place direct roaming agreements with enough operators to gain the required level of global coverage. Taking into account the increasing number of mobile operators and the complexity of implementing a roaming agreement, full roaming coverage is actually hardly achievable.

An operator without current roaming relationship can provide its customer with SIM cards programmed with two different IMSI numbers. The first IMSI will belong to the Operator’s (HPNM) itself, whereas the second IMSI will belong to a Donor Operator which already has a high number of roaming agreements in place. By using the second IMSI, subscribers from the HPMN can gain immediate unilateral roaming access to all the networks with which the Donor Operator has a direct roaming contractual relationship.

Although the MS using a Dual-IMSI SIM card can activate one of the two IMSI’s at will, it is forced to have two different mobile numbers, one belonging to its provider (HPMN) numbering range, and the other belonging to the Donor numbering range. This means that to reach the MS, the caller has to dial the right number according to its location. Besides the limitation of having two different phone numbers, operator will totally lose control over its MS’s when they are roaming. By activating the second IMSI, the MS becomes effectively a Donor Operator’s subscriber, and therefore, service operation and management will then be provided by the Donor Operator.

AerVox I2-Mate solution enables Client Operators to provide seamless indirect international roaming to their Dual-IMSI subscribers, without losing the control other those subscribers, and while allowing them to be always reachable through their regular telephone number.

Key Benefits

Service providers benefits (Donor Operators):

New income: offering instantaneous international roaming services to other MNOs.

Service clients benefits (Home or Visited Operators):

New income through providing instant outbound roaming for their subscribers. 
New income through providing instant roaming for inbound subscribers from indirect roaming “partners”. 
Improves subscribers experience by instantly increasing GSM services coverage around the world. 
Attracts and retains corporate users and international travellers for whom roaming is greatly valued.

The I2-Mate gathers two independent capabilities; the IMSI_Mate for Dual IMSI MS belonging to client MNOs to be able to perform outbound indirect roaming, and the IN_Mate for third party operators’ users to be allowed to do inbound indirect roaming in the Clients MNOs’ network.

IMSI_Mate

Thanks to the use of special SIM Cards, programmed with an IMSI of a Donor Operator for roaming usage, and a proper IMSI employed for domestic usage, the IMSI-Mate enables the subscribers of its Client Operators’ to roam on visited networks where their HPMN has no direct contractual relationship. The IMSI-Mate enables to define a configurable number of different Donor Operators that are allowed to provide service to an unlimited number of Client Operators.

IMSI-Mate functionality provides SS7 support, and can optionally provide GPRS support by manipulating both, the SS7 messages (GSM MAP and CAMEL), and GTP-C/U messages.

Enabling indirect roaming by means of the Dual-IMSI usage is a good alternative to those operators looking to allow their subscribers to roam abroad. However, Dual-IMSI doesn’t allow an operator to build up bilateral relationships, i.e. the possibility of having others operators’ MS roaming into its network.

The IN-Mate functionality enables users from third party operators that have a direct roaming agreement with a Donor Operator, to roam into the solution Client Operators’ network without the need of having a direct contractual relationship.

IN_Mate

The IN-Mate functionality entitles Client Operators to offer inbound roaming to subscribers from MNOs with which they have no direct roaming relationship. This functionality takes advantage of the Donor Operator’s direct roaming agreements by making Client Operators network (VPMNs) to look like a Donor’s network towards third party MNOs.

The IN-Mate functionality allows defining a configurable number of Donor Operators that are allowed to set an unlimited number of Client Operators.

The IN_Mate functionality provided SS7 support, and can optionally provide GPRS support by manipulating both, the SS7 messages (GSM MAP and CAMEL), and GTP-C/ U messages.

Main Features

GSM and CAMEL support.

GPRS support. 

Support for:

Roaming Out: IMSI-Mate functionality. 
Roaming In: IN-Mate functionality.

Multiple IMSI and roaming agreements Donors support. 

Per Client MNO roaming control through Blacklists and Whitelists. 

Usage and performance reports.