Mobile device networks such as wireless telephone networks are presently limited in the amount of data that is accessible by a mobile device user in a timely fashion. Wireless local area networks (WLANs) are increasingly being deployed in such public places as coffee shops, airports, hotels, and conference centers as a way to provide larger amounts of data to a mobile device user. WLAN access offers an opportunity for service providers to gain revenues from data services and for users to enjoy wireless high-speed data access in public spaces. Mobile network operators are interested in this opportunity because they already possess an established subscriber base with whom they presently have a billing relationship.
Because a public WLAN is not always operated by a mobile device user's own network, a protocol is required to authenticate a user across data networks. Authentication of a mobile device user is typically performed using Signaling System 7 (SS7) formatted communications between the mobile device network and the mobile device. However, communications between various networks takes place using the Internet Protocol (IP). SS7-format communications are not interchangeable with IP-format communications, making it difficult to implement a SS7-based authentication process using IP-format communications.