WO2010005278A1

WO2010005278A1 - Device and method for mobile communication outside a home mobile network

Info

Publication number: WO2010005278A1
Application number: PCT/MY2008/000064
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ann Tan Tee
Original assignee: Gvcc Internatonal Group Of Companies Limited
Priority date: 2008-07-08
Filing date: 2008-07-08
Publication date: 2010-01-14
Also published as: WO2010005278A9

Abstract

A method for mobile communication outside a home mobile network is provided. The method comprises obtaining an International Roaming Network (IRN) gateway number from an IRN server; setting call divert for a first phone number from the home mobile network to the IRN gateway number; and providing a second phone number external to the home mobile network to the IRN server such that the IRN server links the IRN gateway number to the second phone number; wherein incoming calls to the first phone number are forwarded to the second phone number via the IRN server; and wherein outgoing calls from the second phone number are forwarded to a destination phone number via the IRN server. A mobile phone adapted to execute a method for mobile communication outside a home mobile network, and an IRN server for mobile communication outside a home mobile network are also provided.

Description

DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MOBILE COMMUNICATION OUTSIDE A HOME

MOBILE NETWORK

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates broadly to a method for mobile communication outside a home mobile network, a mobile phone adapted to execute a method for mobile communication outside a home mobile network, and an International Roaming Network (IRN) server for mobile communication outside a home mobile network.

BACKGROUND

In mobile (in other words, cellular) communication, a subscriber is able to enjoy mobile communication services as long as he is within the geographical coverage area of the subscribed (i.e. home) network. As he leaves the coverage area, he may be able to maintain his cellular connectivity by roaming or by subscribing to another network that has coverage in the visited location.

Roaming is defined by the Global System for Mobile communication Association (GSM Association) as the ability for a cellular customer to automatically make and receive voice calls, send and receive data, or access other services when traveiling outside the geographical coverage area of a home network, by means of using a visited network. With roaming, the user may still be able to use the same identification device, such as a Subscriber Identity Module (SIWI) card, and its associated phone number while at the visited network. However, roaming is only possible if there is a roaming agreement between the operators (in other words, service providers) of the home network and the visited network. In many circumstances, such roaming agreements are only available for a number of locations, and not for many other locations of interest. Furthermore, roaming is also very expensive due to differing billing practices among the networks, additional tariffs and surcharges. The other alternative to maintain cellular connectivity at the visited location may comprise subscribing to another network that has coverage at that location, for example, through a post-paid service. In that case, the user may be issued with a new identification device, such as a SIM card with a stored value, and a new phone number. While this alternative may allow the user to enjoy mobile communication services at the visited location, his contacts at his home location may not know the new phone number in order to reach him, for example, through voice call. On the other hand, he may not have an International Direct Dialing (IDD) access from his new phone number to reach his contacts at his home location, or he may have an IDD access at a very expensive rate.

If an IDD access from the new phone number is not available, the user may still reach his contacts at his home location using a third-party vendor's service, for example, by using a Calling Card. However, the use of a Calling Card comprises a number of steps that may be troublesome and time-consuming. For example, the user may need to dial a vendor-specific gateway number, go through an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) menu, key in an access code or Personal Identification Number (PlN)₁ and finally dial the destination number.

A need therefore exists to provide a system and method that seek to address at least one of the above problems.

SUMMARY

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for mobile communication outside a home mobile network, the method comprising: obtaining an International Roaming Network (IRN) gateway number from an IRN server; setting call divert for a first phone number from the home mobile network to the IRN gateway number; and providing a second phone number external to the home mobile network to the IRN server such that the IRN server links the IRN gateway number to the second phone number; wherein incoming calls to the first phone number are forwarded to the second phone number via the IRN server; and wherein outgoing calls from the second phone number are forwarded to a destination phone number via the IRN server. The second phone number may be selected from a group consisting of a mobile phone number, an Internet Protocol (IP) phone number and a landline phone number.

The step of obtaining an IRN gateway number from an IRN server may comprise sending an SMS request to the IRN server and receiving a return SMS from the IRN server.

The first phone number may be associated with a mobile device, and the mobile may comprise a computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer code means for instructing the mobile device to execute a method of communication between the mobile device and the IRN server.

The communication between the mobile device and the IRN server may comprise one or more of a group consisting of registering a new account, topping up credit for an existing account, adding a sub-account, canceling a sub-account, activating International Roaming Network, and checking gateway status.

The computer code means may further instruct the mobile device to implement an SMS event listener module. The SMS event listener module may receive a formatted return SMS from the IRN server and may further update a database in the mobile device based on the return SMS received from the IRN server. The SMS event listener module may update the IRN number to the database.

The computer code means may further instruct the mobile device to implement a call event listener module. The call event listener module may provide a destination phone number to the IRN server.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile phone comprising a computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer code means for instructing the mobile phone to execute a method for mobile communication outside a home mobile network, the method comprising: obtaining an International Roaming Network (IRN) gateway number from an IRN server; setting call divert for a first phone number from the home mobile network to the IRN gateway number; and providing a second phone number external to the home mobile network to the IRN server such that the IRN server links the IRN gateway number to the second phone number; wherein incoming calls to the first phone number are forwarded to the second phone number via the IRN server; and wherein outgoing calls from the second phone number are forwarded to a destination phone number via the IRN server.

The computer code means may further instruct the mobile phone to execute a method of communication between the mobile phone and the IRN server. Said communication between the mobile phone and the IRN server may comprise one or more of a group consisting of registering a new account, topping up credit for an existing account, adding a sub-account, canceling a sub-account, activating International Roaming Network, and checking gateway status.

The computer code means may further instruct the mobile phone to implement an SMS event listener module. The SMS event listener module may receive a formatted return SMS from the IRN server and may further update a database in the mobile phone based on the return SMS received from the IRN server. The SMS event listener module may update the IRN gateway number to the database.

The computer code means may further instruct the mobile phone to implement a call event listener module. The call event listener module may provide a destination phone number to the IRN server.

The mobile phone may be suitable for use with a GSM network, or a CDMA network.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an IRN server for mobile communication outside a home mobile network, the server comprising: means for providing an IRN gateway number to a mobile device in the home mobile network for setting call divert for a first phone number associated with the mobile device to the IRN gateway number; and means for receiving a second phone number external to the home mobile network such that the IRN server links the IRN gateway number to the second phone number; wherein the IRN server forwards incoming calls to the first phone number to the second phone number; and wherein the IRN server forwards outgoing calls from the second phone number to a destination phone number.

The IRN server may comprise an IRN gateway and a Next Generation Network.

The IRN gateway may comprise a GSM bank, or an E1 Primary Rate Interface.

The IRN server may further comprise communication means for communication with the mobile device, the communication comprising one or more of a group consisting of registering a new account, topping up credit for an existing account, adding a sub-account, canceling a sub-account, activating International Roaming Network, and checking gateway status.

The means for providing an IRN gateway number may comprise sending a formatted SMS to the mobile device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will be better understood and readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from the following written description, by way of example only, and in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method for mobile communication outside a home network according to an example embodiment;

Figure 2 is a schematic of a mobile device for implementing the method of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a block diagram of the components for implementing the application program in the mobile device of Figure 2 according to an example embodiment;

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a system for mobile communication outside a home network in an incoming-call mode according to an example embodiment;

Figure 4A is a portion of the system 400 of Figure 4 during set-up;

Figure 4B is a portion of the system 400 of Figure 4 during execution;

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a computer system for implementing a Next Generation Network according to an example embodiment; and

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the system of Figure 4 in an out-going call mode according to an example embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 is a flowchart, generally designated as reference numeral 100, illustrating a method for mobile communication outside a mobile home network according to an example embodiment. At step 102, an International Roaming Network (IRN) gateway number is obtained from an IRN server. At step 104, call divert for a first phone number from the home mobile network is set to the IRN gateway number. At step 106, a second phone number external to the home mobile network is provided to the IRN server such that the IRN server links the IRN gateway number to the second phone number; wherein incoming calls to the first phone number are forwarded to the second phone number via the IRN server; and wherein outgoing calls from the second phone number are forwarded to a destination phone number via the IRN server.

Some portions of the description which follows are explicitly or implicitly presented in terms of algorithms and functional or symbolic representations of operations on data within a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions and functional or symbolic representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to convey most effectively the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally, conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of steps leading to a desired result. The steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities, such, as electrical, magnetic or optical signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise, manipulated.

Unless specifically stated otherwise, and as apparent from the following, it will be appreciated that throughout the present specification, discussions utilizing terms such as "scanning", "calculating", "determining", "replacing", "generating", "initializing", "outputting", or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical quantities within the computer system into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system or other information storage, transmission or display devices.

The present specification also discloses system for performing the operations of the methods. Such system may be specially constructed for the required purposes, or may comprise a general purpose computer or other device selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. The algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computer or other system. Various general purpose machines may be used with programs in accordance with the teachings herein. Alternatively, the construction of more specialized system to perform the required method steps may be appropriate. The structure of a conventional general purpose computer will appear from the description below.

In addition, the present specification also implicitly discloses a computer program, in that it would be apparent to the person skilled in the art that the individual steps of the method described herein may be put into effect by computer code. The computer program is not intended to be limited to any particular programming language and implementation thereof. It will be appreciated that a variety of programming languages and coding thereof may be used to implement the teachings of the disclosure contained herein. Moreover, the computer program is not intended to be limited to any particular control flow. There are many other variants of the computer program, which can use different control flows without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Furthermore, one or more of the steps of the computer program may be performed in parallel rather than sequentially. Such a computer program may be stored . on any computer readable medium. The computer readable medium may include storage devices such as magnetic or optical disks, memory chips, or other storage devices suitable for interfacing with a general purpose computer. The computer readable medium may also include a hard-wired medium such as exemplified in the Internet system, or wireless medium such as exemplified in the GSM mobile telephone system. The computer program when loaded and executed on such a general-purpose computer effectively results in a system that implements the steps of the preferred method.

The method of the current arrangement can be implemented on a mobile device, herein interchangeably called a wireless device 200, schematically shown in Figure 2. It may be implemented as software, such as a computer program being executed within the wireless device 200, and instructing the wireless device 200 to conduct the method.

The wireless device 200 comprises a processor module 202, an input module such as a keypad 204 and an output module such as a display 206. The mobile device 200 may additionally have an operating system, preferably a Symbian C++ S602^nd or 3^rd Edition with Feature Pack 3 operating system.

The processor module 202 is connected to a wireless network 208 via a suitable transceiver device 210, to enable wireless communication and/or access to e.g. the Internet or other network. systems such as GSM network, Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, Local Area Network (LAN), Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) or Wide Area Network (WAN).

The processor module 202 in the example includes a processor 212, a Random Access Memory (RAM) 214 and a Read Only Memory (ROM) 216. The processor module 202 also includes a number of Input/Output (I/O) interfaces, for example I/O interface 218 to the display 206, and I/O interface 220 to the keypad 204.

The components of the processor module 202 typically communicate via an interconnected bus 222 and in a manner known to the person skilled in the relevant art.

The application program is typically supplied to the user of the wireless device 200 encoded on a data storage medium such as a flash memory module or memory card/stick and read utilising a corresponding memory reader-writer of a data storage device 224. The application program may also be downloaded from an Internet server prior to its execution. The application program is read and controlled in its execution by the processor 212. Intermediate storage of program data may be accomplished using RAM 214.

Figure 3 is a block diagram of the components for implementing the application program in the mobile device 200 of Figure 2 according to an example embodiment. As described above, an application program 302 may be implemented on the mobile device 200. The application program 302 may include a Short Messaging Service (SMS) generator module 304, an SMS event listener module 306 and a. call event listener module 308 (to be described in details later). The mobile device 200 may also include an internal database 310.

The SMS generator module 304 may be activated to create a request containing an JRN number, (e.g. a second phone number to be used at a new location to be visited) and a country code of a new location to be visited. The request is sent to an IRN server 312 via a formatted SMS recognizable by the IRN server 312. The SMS event listener module 306 is initialized and waits for a return SMS from the IRN server 312. The return SMS is also formatted such that it is recognized by the SMS event listener module 306, which extracts the information from the return SMS and updates the IRN gateway numbers and other settings in the database 310 accordingly. The call event listener module 308 is initialized at the visited location external to the home mobile network and waits for a dial event from a user in the background. If the dial event occurs, the dialled number is sent, for example, by using dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signalling, to the IRN server 312. The call event listener module 308 then waits for the IRN server 312 to call back. The call event listener module may optionally store the dialled number (i.e. a destination phone number) in a memory for future reference and use, for example, in the database 310. The return call from the gateway 312 is automatically picked up such that the user may continue with the call as usual.

Additionally, the application program may have other features, which" can be . conveniently organised in a menu. Some of the example features are as follows:

"Data Connection"

This feature allows user to enable data connection, which uses SMS as the communication mode instead of voice dial or DMTF mode.

"Network Exchange Roaming (NER)"

With this feature, the user has the option to trigger another phone number to make or receive the call instead of the current phone, effectively resulting in call redirection. For example, NER may be used to redirect the call to a landline when the battery of the mobile phone is low. All NER commands are sent via SMS.

"Conference Gall"

With this feature, the user has the option to make a conference call by entering two or more phone numbers on the program screen such that the program would simultaneously send the numbers to the gateway 308. The conference call commands may be communicated with the gateway via DTMF signalling or SMS.

"Account"

This feature allows the user to perform operations related to his account such as registering a new account, topping up credit for an existing account, adding a sub-account, cancelling a sub-account, and activating International Roaming Network. AH account commands are sent to the IRN server via SMS. "Check Gateway Status"

This feature allows the user to check gateway status via SMS.

The application program may have other features, for example, "Admin Login" for an administrator mode for changing the gateway numbers and other settings of the program, "Help" for displaying help messages for the program, and "Abouf for displaying version information of the program. It is understood by a person skilled in the art that a greater or lesser number of features may be employed in the program, and that the features may be presented in different ways including but not limited to using lists, expanded menus, icons and tabs.

In this example embodiment, the application program is developed with Symbian C++ programming language. For example, functions for listening for voice call related events can be implemented via CTelephony class, DTMF signals may be sent via CmdaAudioPlayerUtility class, database-related functions are implemented via RdbNamedDatabase-related classes and functions for intercepting SMS are implemented via Rsocket and RsocketServ classes.

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a system 400 for mobile communication outside a home network in an incoming-call mode according to an example embodiment. Figure 4A is a portion of the system 400 of Figure 4 during set-up. Figure 4B is a portion of the system 400 of Figure 4 during execution.

During set-up, the mobile device 200 (Figure 2) may be in a home location, i.e. within the geographical coverage area of a home network, having a first identification device, such as a first Subscriber Information Module (SIM) card, and an associated first phone number 402. The mobile device 200 preferably has an operating system, such as the Symbian C++ S602^nd or 3^rd Edition with Feature Pack 3 operating system. Some examples of such a mobile device 200 include the Motorola MOTORIZR Z8 phone, many Nokia E-series and N-series phones, the Samsung SGH-i550 phone and the Sony Ericsson W950 and W960 phones. A request for an IRN gateway number may be sent from the first phone number 402 to an IRN server 408 via the home network, for example, via a GSM gateway 404. In the preferred embodiment, the request may be done by first activating the "International Roaming Network" feature in the application program in the mobile device 200, followed by sending a formatted SMS containing an IRN number (e.g. a second phone number 416 to be used at a new location to be visited) and country code of a new location to be visited while still in the home location.

If the second phone number 416 at the new location to be visited is not available, the request may still be sent to the IRN server 408 from the new location, for example, via a conventional roaming SMS. In that case, a new SIM card with the associated second phone number 416 may be purchased and inserted into the mobile device 200, from which the "International Roaming Network" feature in the application program may be activated for sending the request for an IRN gateway number via a roaming SMS.

Even if the second phone number 416 at the new location to be visited is not available and there is no conventional roaming agreement between the home network and the visited network, the request may still be sent. In such an event, a request is first sent from the home location using the country code of the new location and a dummy phone number as the IRN number. At the new location, a new SlM card with the associated second phone number 416 may be purchased and inserted into the mobile device 200. The "Admin Login" feature in the application program may be activated such that the second phone number 416 may be entered into the application program to replace the dummy phoηe number as one of the two Authorised Number Identifications (ANl), which are numbers associated with the account.

At the IRN server 408, an authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) process may be carried out to verify the request. An IRN gateway number for the request is then reserved at the IRN server 408 and an SMS of a specific format containing the IRN gateway number is sent to the first phone number 402. In the example embodiment, the SMS is intercepted and recognised by the SMS event listener module 302 (Figure 3) such that the application program obtains the IRN gateway number from the SMS and updates the IRN gateway number and other settings in the database 304 (Figure 3). Call divert for the first phone number 402 from the home network is then set to the IRN gateway number such that incoming calls to the first phone number 402 will be forwarded to the IRN gateway number.

At the visited location, a second phone number 416 may be a newly acquired phone number or an existing (known) phone number. The second phone number 416 may comprise at least one of a desktop (landline) phone number, a mobile phone number or an Internet Protocol (IP) phone number. The second phone number 416 from the visited location may be provided to the IRN server 408 such that the IRN server 408 links the IRN gateway number previously sent to the first phone number 402 to the second phone number 416.

The IRN server 408 comprises an IRN gateway 410 and a Next Generation Network 414. The IRN gateway 410 directs an incoming call for the first phone number 402 from the home network to the Next Generation Network 414 where the call is transmitted to the second phone number 416 through one of the following routes: a voice gateway and a public switched telephone network (PSTN) carrier; an Internet Protocol (IP) network and an IP voice carrier; or an IP network directly to an IP telephone. The IRN gateway 410 may comprise a GSM bank, or an E1 Primary Rate Interface (PRI) with Signalling System #7 protocol.

For example, at the IRN gateway 410, an incoming call signal such as a GSM call signal is first converted to IP data and processed by the Next Generation Network 414. In the case in which a PSTN carrier is used, the IP data is transmitted over the IP network based on e.g. H323 voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) protocol, or Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) through using an E1/T1 card. The data then undergoes time- division multiplexing (TDM) before reaching the network of an operator at the visited location. Alternatively, in the case in which an IP voice carrier is used, the data directly undergoes TDM without a VoIP transmission step.

The Next Generation Network 414 (also known as Softswitch) can be implemented on a computer system 500, schematically shown in Figure 5. It may be implemented as software, such as a computer program being executed within the computer system 500, and instructing the computer system 500 to conduct the networking and/or transmission.

The computer system 500 comprises a computer module 502, input modules such as a keyboard 504 and mouse 506 and a plurality of output devices such as a display 508, and printer 510.

The computer module 502 is connected to a computer network 512 via a suitable transceiver device 514, to enable access to e.g. the Internet or other network systems such as Local Area Network (LAN), or Wide Area Network (WAN), or IP network.

The computer module 502 in the example includes a processor 518, a Random Access Memory (RAM) 520 and a Read Only Memory (ROM) 522. The computer module 502 also includes a number of Input/Output (I/O) interfaces, for example i/O interface 524 to the display 508, and I/O interface 526 to the keyboard 504. The computer module 502 may further include a hard disk 530.

The components of the computer module 502 typically communicate via an interconnected bus 528 and in a manner known to the person skilled in the relevant art.

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the system 400 of Figure 4 in an out-going call mode according to an example embodiment. As described above, while the mobile device is still within the home location, an International Roaming Network (IRN) gateway number is obtained from the IRN server 408 based on a known second phone number 416 at the new location to be visited and call divert for the first phone number 402 (Figure 4) from the home network is set to the IRN gateway number. Alternatively, at the visited location, the second phone number 416, which may be a landline number, or a mobile phone number, or an IP phone number, is provided to the IRN server 408 to obtain the IRN gateway number such that the IRN server 408 links the IRN gateway number to the second phone number 416. In the example embodiment, the second phone number 416 may be a mobile phone number associated with a second SIM card which is inserted into the same mobile device 200 (Figure 2). For making out-going calls from, the second phone number 416, the "International Roaming Network" feature in the application program may be activated and ah "International Line" sub-feature selected. A call may be dialled normally and is forwarded to the IRN server 408 via the visited network, for example, via a GSM gateway 602 of the visited (i.e. foreign) location. After the AAA process at the IRN server 408, the IRN server 408 automatically calls back to the second phone number 416 to notify of successful connection and directs the call to a destination number 604 through one of the following routes: a voice gateway and a public switched telephone network (PSTN) carrier; or an Internet Protocol (IP) network and an IP voice carrier. The destination number 604 may be a phone number at the home location or any third location connectable to the IRN server.

In an alternate embodiment, the second phone number 416 may be from an IP phone that connects directly to the IRN server 408 via an IP network, thereby skipping the visited network. A login step using the same account information and tRN gateway number may be required prior to making the call. The IRN server 408 then processes the call in the same way as described above. The call may be transmitted directly through an IP network to the IRN server 408 where it is forwarded to the destination phone number 604.

The method and system as described thus may effectively achieve roaming at a visited location even without the need for any roaming agreement. The cost of calls made with the method and system of the present invention can also be made substantially cheaper than conventional roaming as billing can be centralised into one account. Furthermore, there is no need to remember any calling card access number or PiN as all IRN gateway numbers are automatically stored and updated in the database. These IRN gateway numbers and other settings may remain in the database such that they may be quickly and easily re-activated for the next visit to the corresponding locations.

The method and system according to the present invention may be made compatible with GSM and CDMA standards in mobile communication such that connectivity is maintained even if the home network and the visited network are of different standards. The dialling sequence is the same as if the mobile device is still within the home network, i.e. by either entering a number of choosing a number from an address book followed by pressing the call button. The method and system described are especially useful for travellers who wish to be contactable through the phone number at the home network and who wish to minimise roaming charges because of extensive phone usage at the visited location.

It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the present invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects to be illustrative and hot restrictive.

Claims

1. A method for mobile communication outside a home mobile network, the method comprising: obtaining an International Roaming Network (IRN) gateway number from an IRN server; setting call divert for a first phone number from the home mobile network to the IRN gateway number; and providing a second phone number external to the home mobile network to the IRN server such that the IRN server links the IRN gateway number to the second phone number; wherein incoming calls to the first phone number are forwarded to the second phone number via the IRN server; and wherein outgoing calls from the second phone number are forwarded to a destination phone number via the IRN server.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second phone number is selected from a group consisting of a mobile phone number, Internet Protocol (IP) phone number and a landline phone number.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining an IRN gateway number from an IRN server comprises sending an SMS request to the IRN server and receiving a return SMS from the IRN server.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first phone number is associated with a mobile .device, and the mobile device comprises a computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer code means for instructing the mobile device to execute a method of communication between the mobile device and the IRN served

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, the communication between the mobile device and the IRN server comprises one or more of a group consisting of registering a new account, topping up credit for an existing account, adding a sub- account, canceling a sub-account, activating International Roaming Network, and checking gateway status.

6. The method of claims 4 or 5, wherein the computer code means further instructs the mobile device to implement an SMS event listener module.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the SMS event listener module receives a formatted return SMS from the IRN server.

8. The method of claim 6 or 7, wherein the SMS event listener module further updates a database in the mobile device based on the return SMS received from the IRN server.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the SMS event listener module updates the IRN number to the database.

10. The method of claims 4 to 9, wherein the computer code means further instructs the program to implement a call event listener module.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the call event listener module provides a destination phone number to the IRN server.

12. A mobile phone comprising a computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer code means for instructing the mobile phone to execute a method for mobile communication outside a home mobile network, the method comprising: obtaining an International Roaming Network (IRN) gateway number from an IRN server; setting call divert for a first phone number from the home mobile network to the IRN gateway number; and providing a second phone number external to the home mobile network to the IRN server such that the IRN server links the IRN gateway number to the second phone number; wherein incoming calls to the first phone number are forwarded to the second phone number via the IRN server, and wherein outgoing calls from the second phone number are forwarded to a destination phone number via the IRN server.

13. The mobile phone of claim 12, wherein the computer code means further instructs the mobile phone to execute a method of communication between the mobile phone and the IRN server.

14. The mobile phone of claim 13, wherein the communication between the mobile phone and the IRN server comprises one or more of a group consisting of registering a new account, topping up credit for an existing account, adding a sub- account, canceling a sub-account, activating International Roaming Network, and checking gateway status.

15. The mobile phone of claims 12 to 14, wherein the computer code means further instructs mobile phone to implement an SMS event listener module.

16. The mobile phone of claim 15, wherein the SMS event listener module receives a formatted return SMS from the IRN server.

17. The mobile phone of claim 17, wherein the SMS event listener module further updates a database in the mobile phone based on the return SMS received from the IRN server.

18. The mobile phone of claims 16 or 17, wherein the SMS event listener module updates the IRN gateway number to the database.

19. The mobile phone of claims 12 to 18, wherein the computer code means further instructs the mobile phone to implement a call event listener module.

20. The mobile phone of claim 19, wherein the call event listener module provides a destination phone number to the IRN server.

21. The mobile phone of any one of the preceding claims, suitable for use with a GSM network, or a CDMA network.

22. An IRN server for mobile communication outside a home mobile network, the server comprising: means for providing an IRN gateway number to a mobile device in the home mobile network for setting call divert for a first phone number associated with the mobile device to the IRN gateway number; and means for receiving a second phone number external to the home mobile network such that the IRN server links the IRN gateway number to the second phone number; wherein the IRN server forwards incoming calls to the first phone number to the second phone number; and wherein the IRN server forwards outgoing calls from the second phone number to a destination phone number.

23. The IRN server of claim 22, comprising an IRN gateway and a Next Generation Network.

24. The IRN server of claims 22 or 23, wherein the IRN gateway comprises a GSM bank, or an E1 Primary Rate Interface.

25. The IRN server of claims 22 to 24, further comprises communication means for communication with the mobile device, the communication comprising one or more of a group consisting of registering a new account, topping up credit for an existing account, adding a sub-account, canceling a sub-account, activating International Roaming Network, and checking gateway status.

26. The IRN server of claims 22 to 25, wherein the means for providing an IRN gateway number comprises sending a formatted SMS to the mobile device.