A mobile device maintains a communication link with a radio access network (RAN) which is part of a generic access network (GAN). The mobile device maintains, via the GAN, a serivce connection for a voice and/or data service with a core network of a visited Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN). The mobile device operates to set and run a timer and, in response to an expiration of the timer, the mobile device sends, to a gateway controller via the RAN, a service conneciton request for a service connection with a core network of a home PLMN of the mobile device. If the service connection request is accepted, the mobile device operates to establish and maintain, via the GAN, a service connection with the core network of the home PLMN for communications.