Vodafone Group Plc.

Vodafone IP Licensing Limited

Mark Dowds

Ian Maxwell

Paul Davey

A telecommunications system includes a first (home) mobile telecommunications network Asecond (roamed) mobile telecommunications network B and a third (virtual) mobile telecommunications network C. The virtual network C does not have its own radio access network but uses the radio access network of network B in accordance with a commercial contract between networks B and C. Network C is a MVNO. When a mobile telecommunications device that has network A as its home network roams to network B, the mobile telecommunications device initially registers with network B as the roamed network. Conventionally, communications between network A and network B would be transmitted via a fixed communication link () (such as a leased line). However, in the embodiment described, the network A transmits a command to the mobile telecommunications device, instructing that device to de-register from network B and to re-register with virtual network C. The home network A and the virtual network C include IP routing servers (C) which enable voice over IP calls to be routed between the home network A and the virtual network C via the Internet (). The calls can subsequently be routed from the virtual network C to the mobile device via the radio access network on network B. In this way, use of the fixed communication link () between network A and network B is reduced, thereby potentially reducing the cost of making and receiving calls while roaming.

Routing communications between telecommunications networks

Systems and methods of searching a plurality of data items which include selected data items with respective access tags defining access criteria for those data items. A search request token including search criteria and data identifying a user from an entity associated with the user is received. The user by verified by seeking confirmation that the user is a subscriber with a communications network. Data items from the plurality of data items which are potentially relevant to the search criteria are identified. For any identified data items having access tags, determining whether the verified user has permission to access the identified data items with reference to the data of the search request token. Search results including an indication of identified data items but excluding any such data items for which it is determined that the user does not have permission to access are generated.

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Swindon, United Kingdom

Mark Dowds