Abstract: Methods and systems for selecting access networks are disclosed. In one aspects, a mobile terminal includes one or more transceivers configured to selectively connect to the plurality of wireless access networks, and hardware processing circuitry configured to perform operations including obtaining, via one of the plurality of wireless access networks, motion information for one or more other access networks of the plurality of access networks, the motion information indicating motion of one or more connection points; and controlling activation of the one or more transceivers to scan for availability of one or more of the other access networks in dependence on the motion information of the other access networks, wherein the scanning for availability comprises powering up at least one of the one or more transceivers to determine which access networks are present within a proximity of the mobile terminal.

Abstract: Methods and systems for selective scanning of connection points are disclosed. In one aspect, a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprises instructions that configure hardware processing circuitry to perform operations. The operations include determining a location of a mobile terminal, storing network capability information associated with one or more connection points within a defined proximity of the location of the mobile terminal, comparing network capabilities of an existing network connection of the mobile terminal to the stored network capabilities associated with the one or more connection points, selectively scanning for the one or more connection points based on the comparison to determine whether the one or more connection points are available; and switching from the existing network connection to one of the one or more connection points based on the availability of the one or more connection points.

Abstract: Methods and systems for use in a wireless communications system are disclosed. In some aspects, a method includes determining motion information for a first connection point of one of the plurality of wireless access networks, the motion information indicating motion of the first connection point, causing to be stored, in a data repository, the determined motion information, the database accessible by device via one of the plurality of wireless access networks, obtaining second motion information for a second connection point for a second of the plurality of wireless access networks from the data repository, the second motion information indicating motion of the second connection point; and determining whether to connect to the second connection point based on the second motion information.

Abstract: Methods and systems for selecting access networks are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes receiving, from a first plurality of mobile terminals, a corresponding plurality of motion information for a corresponding plurality of connection points for one or more corresponding wireless access networks, storing the plurality of motion information in a data repository, receiving from a second plurality of mobile terminals non-overlapping with the first plurality of mobile terminals, requests for different subsets of the plurality of motion information, reading the requested motion information from the data repository in response to the requests, and transmitting the requested motion information to the requesting mobile terminals.

Abstract: Methods and systems for use in a wireless communications system are disclosed. In some aspects, a method includes determining motion information for a first connection point of one of the plurality of wireless access networks, the motion information indicating motion of the first connection point causing to be stored in a data repository, the determined motion information, the database accessible by device via one of the plurality of wireless access networks, obtaining second motion information for a second connection point for a second of the plurality of wireless access networks from the data repository, the second motion information indicating motion of the second connection point; and determining whether to connect to the second connection point based on the second motion information.

Abstract: Methods and systems for selective scanning of connection points are disclosed. In one aspect, a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprises instructions that configure hardware processing circuitry to perform operations. The operations include determining a location of a mobile terminal, storing network capability information associated with one or more connection points within a defined proximity of the location of the mobile terminal, comparing network capabilities of an existing network connection of the mobile terminal to the stored network capabilities associated with the one or more connection points, selectively scanning for the one or more connection points based on the comparison to determine whether the one or more connection points are available; and switching from the existing network connection to one of the one or more connection points based on the availability of the one or more connection points.

Abstract: Methods and systems for selecting access networks are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes receiving, from a first plurality of mobile terminals, a corresponding plurality of motion information for a corresponding plurality of connection points for one or more corresponding wireless access networks, storing the plurality of motion information in a data repository, receiving from a second plurality of mobile terminals non-overlapping with the first plurality of mobile terminals, requests for different subsets of the plurality of motion information, reading the requested motion information from the data repository in response to the requests, and transmitting the requested motion information to the requesting mobile terminals.

Abstract: Methods and systems for selecting access networks are disclosed. In one aspects, a mobile terminal includes one or more transceivers configured to selectively connect to the plurality of wireless access networks, and hardware processing circuitry configured to perform operations including obtaining, via one of the plurality of wireless access networks, motion information for one or more other access networks of the plurality of access networks, the motion information indicating motion of one or more connection points; and controlling activation of the one or more transceivers to scan for availability of one or more of the other access networks in dependence on the motion information of the other access networks, wherein the scanning for availability comprises powering up at least one of the one or more transceivers to determine which access networks are present within a proximity of the mobile terminal.

Abstract: A mobile terminal for use in a communication system comprising a first, packet-based network and a plurality of wireless access networks providing access to the first network. The mobile terminal comprises: one or more transceivers for connecting to the wireless access networks; and processing apparatus coupled to the one or more transceivers, operable to communicate with the first network by forming connections with the access networks using the one or more transceivers. The processing apparatus is configured to access a database recording motion information relating to motion of connection points of the wireless access networks; and the processing apparatus is further configured to determine one of the wireless access networks for use in accessing the first network, in dependence on the motion information accessed from the database relating to one or more of the wireless access networks.

Abstract: A first near-end terminal is able to conduct voice or video calls with at least one far-end terminal via a packet-based communication system, the first near-end terminal being a mobile user terminal of a near-end user. The first near-end terminal is enabled to discover proximity of at least one second near-end terminal available to provide a resource for use by the near-end user in conjunction with the first near-end terminal when conducting one of said calls, the resource being for use in conducting at least part of the call or in conjunction with the call. The first near-end terminal is also arranged, based on discovering said proximity, to present the near-end user with a message indicating the availability of the second near-end terminal to provide the resource when conducting the call.

Abstract: A mobile terminal comprising: a positioning module arranged to determine a geographical location of the mobile terminal; a local transceiver for connecting to local wireless access networks; and processing apparatus for communicating with a first, packet-based network by forming connections with the wireless local area networks using the local transceiver. The processing apparatus is configured to determine measures of connection quality experienced by the mobile terminal on ones of the connections, and to record the determined measures in a database associating measures of connection quality with geographical locations.

Abstract: A mobile terminal for use in a communication system comprising a first, packet-based network and a plurality of wireless access networks providing access to the first network. The mobile terminal comprises: one or more transceivers for connecting to the wireless access networks; and processing apparatus coupled to the one or more transceivers, operable to communicate with the first network by forming connections with the access networks using the one or more transceivers. The processing apparatus is configured to access a database recording motion information relating to motion of connection points of the wireless access networks; and the processing apparatus is further configured to determine one of the wireless access networks for use in accessing the first network, in dependence on the motion information accessed from the database relating to one or more of the wireless access networks.

Abstract: A mobile terminal for use in a communication system comprising a first, packet-based network and a plurality of wireless access networks providing access to the first network. The mobile terminal comprises: one or more transceivers for connecting to the wireless access networks; and processing apparatus coupled to the one or more transceivers, operable to communicate with the first network by forming connections with the access networks using the one or more transceivers. The processing apparatus is configured to access a database recording motion information relating to motion of connection points of the wireless access networks; and the processing apparatus is further configured to determine one of the wireless access networks for use in accessing the first network, in dependence on the motion information accessed from the database relating to one or more of the wireless access networks.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a first near-end terminal, the first near-end terminal being a mobile user terminal operable to establish voice or video calls with one or more far-end user terminals over a network. A detection module detects when the first near-end terminal is within a relative proximity of a second near-end terminal available to provide a call-related service in relation to one or more of the voice or video calls. A notification module outputs a notification to a user of the first near-end terminal based on said detection, notifying the user of the call-related service. In response to said detection, a configuration module is operable to store a configuration configuring the first near-end terminal as having the second near-end terminal identified for later provision of the call-related service.

Abstract: A method of indicating a reputation of a first user associated with a first user device to a second user associated with a second user device, the method comprising: detecting at the first user device initiation by the first user of a communication event to the second user; in response to said detection, capturing one or more characteristics of said first user at the first user device; and transmitting a request to establish a communication event to the second user, the transmitted request including an indication of an asserted identity of the first user and information relating to the captured one or more characteristics of said first user such that the second user can make an assessment as to the likelihood that the first user is validly correlated with the asserted identity.

Abstract: A mobile terminal comprising: a positioning module arranged to determine a geographical location of the mobile terminal; a local transceiver for connecting to local wireless access networks; and processing apparatus for communicating with a first, packet-based network by forming connections with the wireless local area networks using the local transceiver. The processing apparatus is configured to determine measures of connection quality experienced by the mobile terminal on ones of the connections, and to record the determined measures in a database associating measures of connection quality with geographical locations.

Abstract: A mobile terminal, program and method for use in a communication system comprising a first, packet-based network and a plurality of wireless access networks providing access to the first network. The mobile terminal is configured to maintain a log of user habits in terms of past availability or use of one or more of the access networks, e.g. relative to time of day, week, month and/or year. The mobile terminal is further configured to control activation the transceiver to scan for subsequent availability of one or more of the wireless access networks, in dependence on the comparison of the one or more identified times with the current time. The mobile terminal switches between a first mode in which the scanning is controlled in dependence on the current geographical location of the mobile terminal, and a second mode in which the scanning is controlled in dependence on said log.

Abstract: A mobile terminal comprising: a positioning module arranged to determine a geographical location of the mobile terminal; a local transceiver for connecting to local wireless access networks; and processing apparatus for communicating with a first, packet-based network by forming connections with the wireless local area networks using the local transceiver. The processing apparatus is configured to determine measures of connection quality experienced by the mobile terminal on ones of the connections, and to record the determined measures in a database associating measures of connection quality with geographical locations.

Abstract: A method of indicating a reputation of a first user at a first user device to a second user at a second user device during a communication event between the user devices, comprising: storing one or more characteristics in association with an indication of an identity of at least one known user in a data store; and during the communication event: receiving an indication of an asserted identity and one or more characteristics of the first user; querying the store to determine that the asserted identity corresponds with an identity of one of the at least one known user; retrieving one or more characteristics associated with the asserted identity of the first user from the store; comparing the retrieved characteristics with the received characteristics to estimate the likelihood that the first user is validly correlated with the asserted identity; transmitting an indication of the estimated likelihood to the second user.

Abstract: Apparatus comprising a decision processing module arranged to determine whether a first mobile user terminal and a second mobile user terminal are within a relative geographic proximity of one another, in dependence on a property of intermediate network equipment of a packet-switched network to which the first and second mobile user terminals are operable to connect. The apparatus also comprises a location processing module arranged to obtain a geographic location of the second mobile user terminal and, on condition that the first and second user terminals are determined to be within the proximity determined by the decision module, to use the geographic location of the second mobile user terminal in estimating a geographic location of the first mobile user terminal.