What is HPLMN in LTE?
Today, let’s dive into HPLMN, an important concept in LTE networks that plays a significant role in ensuring that your device connects to the right network for optimal service. If you’ve been following our previous discussions on LTE technologies, you might have come across terms like PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network) and how your device interacts with different networks. Now, let me explain what HPLMN is and how it works in LTE.
HPLMN stands for Home Public Land Mobile Network. This term refers to the network that your mobile device considers its “home” network. When you first get your SIM card from a mobile network operator, the HPLMN is set to the network that provided the service. The concept is crucial for managing roaming scenarios and ensuring that users receive the best possible service when traveling internationally or between regions.
Here’s how it works: When you power on your device, it searches for available networks in its coverage area. It first attempts to connect to the HPLMN, the home network of the user, to ensure seamless service, including voice, data, and SMS. If the device cannot find the HPLMN, it may attempt to connect to a VPLMN (Visited Public Land Mobile Network), which is the network that provides coverage while you’re roaming.
The relationship between the HPLMN and VPLMN is key to understanding roaming in LTE networks. While the device will prioritize connecting to the HPLMN, it will switch to a VPLMN if it detects that the home network is unavailable in that area. However, the device still identifies itself with the HPLMN’s settings, even when connected to a VPLMN. This helps the network know your subscriber’s home network for billing and other services.
Let me explain this a bit further: For example, when you travel to another country, your device will first try to connect to your home network (HPLMN) if available. If not, it will find a local network (VPLMN) that has roaming agreements with your home network. Your device may still be able to make and receive calls, send texts, and use data, but your home network will charge for these services, depending on your roaming plan. This is how HPLMN and VPLMN work together to manage your mobile experience, both at home and abroad.
So, why is HPLMN important in LTE networks? Let me highlight a few reasons:
- Network Access: HPLMN determines the primary network your device will connect to, ensuring the best available service when in the home network’s coverage area.
- Roaming and Billing: When roaming, the HPLMN facilitates billing and ensures that the roaming charges are applied according to the user’s plan with their home network provider.
- Service Management: The HPLMN contains user-specific settings, such as the type of services available and network preferences, which are applied when you connect to it.
To sum it up, HPLMN is a crucial part of your mobile network experience. It’s the home network that your device prefers to connect to, ensuring the smoothest possible service when you are within your network’s coverage. If you are outside the coverage area of the HPLMN, your device will roam onto a VPLMN, where your home network will still manage services and billing. Understanding how HPLMN operates helps us grasp how devices manage network connections, both locally and internationally.
In a previous article, we discussed how LTE networks handle mobility and user sessions, and HPLMN plays a role in this by managing your device’s preferred connection. If you’re interested in learning more about network roaming and its impact on LTE, you can explore related topics such as VPLMN and roaming agreements between network operators.