Abstract: A system and method of retrieving dispatch call information from a dedicated database by using interconnect call information. Interconnect call information from an interconnect communication system is obtained. The information identifies a target dispatch subscriber unit in a dispatch communication system. A request is received from a source dispatch subscriber unit. The request includes the interconnect call information. The interconnect call information identifying the target dispatch subscriber unit is extracted from the request. The interconnect call information of the target dispatch subscriber is related to unique dispatch call connection information of the target dispatch subscriber in a dedicated database. The unique dispatch call connection information concerning the target dispatch subscriber unit from the dedicated database in the dispatch communication system is retrieved using the extracted interconnect call information from the request.

Abstract: A subscriber unit (107) operates in a communication system (100) with at least two servers (102, 103). The subscriber unit (107) receives a plurality of received signal samples that each include a color code value (304) identifying on cell server of a plurality of cell servers transmitting signals in a coverage area. The subscriber unit (107) then determines the best received color code value based on a quality/error metric derived from the received color codes associated with the received signal samples.

Abstract: A system and method of retrieving dispatch call information from a dedicated database by using interconnect call information. Interconnect call information from an interconnect communication system is obtained. The information identifies a target dispatch subscriber unit in a dispatch communication system. A request is received from a source dispatch subscriber unit. The request includes the interconnect call information. The interconnect call information identifying the target dispatch subscriber unit is extracted from the request. The interconnect call information of the target dispatch subscriber is related to unique dispatch call connection information of the target dispatch subscriber in a dedicated database. The unique dispatch call connection information concerning the target dispatch subscriber unit from the dedicated database in the dispatch communication system is retrieved using the extracted interconnect call information from the request.

Abstract: A method (300) for notifying callers. The method (300) can include the steps of assigning (322) a first communications channel (148) to a set of callers (137), temporarily converting (324) the first communications channel (148) to a second communications channel (150) when the first communications channel (148) is released and transmitting (336) a message to at least one of the set of callers (137) over the second communications channel (150). In one arrangement, the first communications channel (148) can be converted to the second communications channel (150) for the shorter duration of a predetermined amount of time and a time until the first communications channel (148) is no longer released.