Abstract: A method of and system for paging mobile stations within a cellular telecommunication system wherein the allocation of control channel paging capacity is optimized. Each page request for a mobile station received by the system is classified into a predesignated group based upon the characteristics of the request, such as the degree of certainty with which the location of the mobile is known and the origin of the page request. In accordance with the predesignated group to which the page request is assigned, each page request is assigned a paging extent designation to be associated with one or more page attempts and representing the geographic area within the system to which each page attempt is to be broadcast. A paging priority is then assigned to each page attempt based upon the previously assigned group characteristics and paging patterns. Each page attempt is executed within the system according to its designated priority.