Abstract: A method and apparatus for frequency planning in a multi-system cellular communications network is disclosed in which a plurality of systems operate over a frequency range comprising a plurality of frequency bands. The systems each provide communications services to a plurality of subscribers located within substantially the same geographic region. Each of the systems is assigned one or more of the network frequency bands for use as control channels. The systems then share the unassigned frequency bands to provide communications service. The systems may share the frequency bands without coordination or synchronization or, as an alternative, the sharing may be controlled by a processor.

Abstract: A telecommunications network including a CDMA system and FDMA/TDMA system, both operating in a common frequency range, is disclosed. In an embodiment of the invention, the transmission and reception of narrowband FDMA/TDMA signals on a plurality of radio frequency channels within FDMA/TDMA system is synchronized such that at least one time slot of each TDMA frame on each radio channel is reserved. The transmission and reception of CDMA signals in the CDMA system is then performed during the reserved time slots of each TDMA frame. In an alternative embodiment, complete TDMA frames on each radio channel are reserved for CDMA transmission and reception.

Abstract: In a cellular mobile telephone system of the type having TDMA channels, a plurality of mobile station operate at either a full rate or a half rate. If the mobile stations are operating on the periphery of a cell they are assigned to full rate channels. If the mobile stations are operating in the vicinity of the base station, they are assigned to half rate channels. The mobile station are reassigned from full rate to half rate channels depending upon a measured parameters relating to signal strength or quality, such as the bit error rate of communications between the mobile station and the base station. If the measured bit error rate between the mobile station and a neighboring station is less than the bit error rate between the mobile station and its presently assigned base station, the mobile station is handed off to the neighboring base station.