Automatic GPRS/EDGE re-attach

The present invention describes a method of automatically re-establishing a GPRS connection between a mobile station and a network in which the network service provider for the mobile station has changed following a network cell reselection procedure. The mobile station receives a detach_request from a first network to terminate a current GPRS connection between the mobile station and the first network. The mobile station then terminates the GPRS connection with the first network pursuant to the received detach request. The mobile station then determines if the detach_type parameter associated with the detach_request is set to re-attach_not_required. If this is true, then the mobile station determines if the detach_cause parameter associated with the detach request contains a null value. If this is also true, then the mobile station determines whether either the MCC or MNC of the new network cell is different from the previous network cell and whether the new network cell supports GPRS. If both these conditions are met, then the mobile station automatically initiates a GPRS attachment with the new network cell.