Abstract: A method and system for establishing group multicast communication, such as PoC multicast communication. Multiple terminals will join a PoC multicast group automatically at some point before the underlying PoC session is being initiated and thus before there is any PoC content for a PoC server to multicast to the group members. Further, this joining process will occur without the PoC multicast channel being listed in the terminals' multicast channel listings. Thereafter, when one of the terminals opts to initiate the PoC session and thus signals to the PoC server, the server will cause the participating terminals to tune to the associated PoC multicast channel for the PoC multicast group that the terminals had already joined. The invention thereby helps to effectively randomize the timing of join-signaling by the various terminals and thus helps to conserve network resources.

Abstract: A method for establishing multicast PoC communication is disclosed. To establish multicast PoC communication, a multicast-join process will be coupled with a PoC session setup process, and the PoC server will function as a multicast content server, to multicast PoC communications to the PoC session participants. For example, when a party initiates a PoC session, the PoC server may acquire a multicast flow-ID from a multicast session manager, and the PoC server may convey that multicast flow-ID to each participant within the PoC session setup signaling. Upon receipt of the multicast flow-ID, each participant may then engage in signaling with the multicast session manager, to join the associated multicast group. And the multicast session manager may direct the PoC server to begin multicasting the associated flow to the group members, which the PoC server will do once it begins receiving PoC bearer data from one of the PoC session participants.