Abstract: A method of arbitrating group calls in a digital mobile radio system without need of a central component. In general terms the base station that are serving mobile units in a call each announce the nature of the signals that they are receiving. The stations then each compare the signals and decide which signal will be broadcast to the mobile units. The signals are preferably transmitted between base stations via a packet network using IP multicast.

Abstract: During idle periods in a non trunked mobile radio network, the base stations periodically transmit a channel-marking signal. While the channel-marking signal is being transmitted base stations in the same “channel”, with adjacent coverage areas, announce information about the base station sending the channel-marking signal. Following the base station announcements, each mobile station checks the transmit frequency of the adjacent base station. If the signal from the adjacent base station is stronger than the signal from the base station to which the mobile was previously tuned, the mobile remains tuned to the new transmit frequency. Otherwise the mobile re-tunes to the original frequency.

Abstract: The invention involves a proactive shift of a control channel among a range of available channels in a mobile radio network, particularly traffic channels. The control channel is intermittently shifted in a periodic or non-periodic manner, thereby making the frequency available for use in other networks. A round-robin process may be used to re-allocate the control channel among traffic channels. This is useful in a network operating within a common channel environment where activity on a fixed the control channel can be unfair or interfere with other networks.