Abstract: A wireless communication architecture (100) includes a first wireless communication system (123) operating in the vicinity of a second wireless communication system (173). A System Locator (155) provides at least one operational parameter (330) of the first wireless communication system (123) to at least one dual-mode wireless subscriber communication unit (172) when operating in said second wireless communication system (173) via said second wireless communication system (173). The operational parameter (330) is based on a determined location of the at least one dual-mode wireless subscriber communication unit (172) for use by the at least one dual-mode wireless subscriber communication unit (172) in searching for and/or switching its operation to the first wireless communication system (123). The first system may be a TETRA or iDEN system and the second system may be a GSM system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for utilizing a distributed location register (20 or 22) within a wireless communication system (10) is accomplished by a distributed location register which receives a request for updating communication parameters of a particular communication entity, which may be a communication device, group of communication devices, or grouping of groups of communication devices, or for retrieval of communication parameters of the particular communication entity. To process the request, the distributed location register (20 or 22) interprets it to identify one of a plurality of communication service registers (28-32, 102-112, or 136-140) which stores the communication entity's communication parameters. Having identified a particular communication service register, the communication service register receives, and subsequently processes, the request to retrieve the communication parameters of interest and/or update the communication parameters of interest.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for utilizing a distributed location register (20 or 22) within a wireless communication system (10) is accomplished by a distributed location register which receives a request for updating communication parameters of a particular communication entity, which may be a communication device, group of communication devices, or grouping of groups of communication devices, or for retrieval of communication parameters of the particular communication entity. To process the request, the distributed location register (20 or 22) interprets it to identify one of a plurality of communication service registers (28-32, 102-112, or 136-140) which stores the communication entity's communication parameters. Having identified a particular communication service register, the communication service register receives, and subsequently processes, the request to retrieve the communication parameters of interest and/or update the communication parameters of interest.