Abstract: A channel resource utilization level associated with a particular cell area is continuously evaluated against a predefined threshold value. The imposed threshold value indicates the minimum level of channel resource utilization desired by the serving mobile telecommunications network. In response to a determination from the evaluation that a particular cell area is being under-utilized, a message indicating that a reduced air-time rate is being offered is broadcast to all mobile stations currently traveling within the affected cell area.

Abstract: A first location update is performed whenever a mobile station enter a particular location area. Thereafter, in the even that the mobile station enters a designated home zone within the location area, a second location update is again performed to inform the serving mobile switching center (MSC) that the mobile station is currently located within the designated home zone. All paging messages for subsequent incoming calls are then broadcasted only within the cell areas associated with the designated home zone.

Abstract: A first mobile station within a particular service area is initially allocated with a full-rate traffic channel. When congestion occurs within the serving base station controller (BSC) and no traffic channel is available for further allocation, the full-rate traffic channel previously allocated to the first mobile station is divided into two half-rate channels. The first mobile station is thereafter re-allocated to one of the two half-rate channels by an intra-cell handover or mode modify procedure. The other half-rate traffic channel then becomes available to effectuate a new call connection with a second mobile station and increases the call capacity associated with the serving BSC.

Abstract: An improved cellular communications system and method is disclosed which routes incoming calls to those subscribers who do not answer their page. The incoming call is routed to one of a list of alternate numbers, such as a home or work number in a public telephone system. Based upon the last known location of the subscriber within the cellular system, a particular list of such alternate numbers are tried in an effort to contact the subscriber outside the cellular network. Different lists are utilized depending upon the subscriber's last known location. In a first embodiment of the present invention, the various lists are stored in a home location register for the cellular system which forwards a particular list to the mobile switching center servicing the subscriber. In a second embodiment of the present invention, the particular list is stored within and forwarded by a service control point within an intelligent network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a dispatch system in a cellular radiotelephone system. Membership in a dispatch group is implicitly created by assigning a common telephone number to all members of the dispatch group and/or explicitly by association of the mobile stations with one or more dispatch groups in a centralized database of a cellular telephone network. A telephone call placed by a dispatcher or mobile stations having membership in the dispatch group results in the cellular telephone network contacting each of the members of the dispatch group to create a full duplex conference call between all members of the dispatch group. In one embodiment of the present invention, the telephone calls to the mobile stations are conferenced together at the gateway to the cellular telephone network, and in another embodiment of the present invention, the telephone calls to the mobile stations are hierarchically conferenced together.

Abstract: A broadcast message indicating the utilization level associated with Stand-alone Dedicated Control Channels (SDCCH) within a mobile telecommunications network serving a particular geographic area is transmitted over a broadcast channel. A plurality of mobile stations located within that particular geographic area monitoring the broadcast channel then receives the transmitted message. Thereafter, a mobile service request with a lower priority level than the indicated status level is queued by the associated mobile station and delayed until the channel utilization level rescinds to a network acceptable level.

Abstract: A routing address representing an alternative terminal is assigned to a particular service area. Such a service area comprises a Local Access and Transport Area (LATA), Mobile Switching Center (MSC) area, Location Area, and Cell Area. Whenever an incoming call is received towards a mobile station currently located within the particular service area, instead of transmitting a routing address representing the mobile station, the serving mobile switching center (MSC) transmits a signal containing the routing address representing the alternative terminal. Instead of routing the call to the intended mobile station, the gateway mobile switching center (GMSC) utilizes the received routing address and reroutes the incoming call to the alternative terminal. By rerouting all incoming calls towards the alternative terminal in case of an emergency, all available access channels are reserved for making outgoing calls by the mobile subscribers located within the emergency service area.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for selectively restricting only forwarded calls. Upon realizing that an incoming call was incorrectly forwarded, the terminal receiving the incoming call transmits to a telecommunications exchange an indication requesting activation of a subscriber feature that will restrict only forwarded calls from the terminal forwarding the call. The directory number for the terminal forwarding the call is retrieved from a register. That retrieved directory number is correlated with the directory number representing the terminal incorrectly receiving the forwarded call and the correlated data is stored at a database. Upon the receipt of the next incoming call, the telecommunications exchange determines that the call is forwarded. Then, the directory number associated with the forwarding party is compared against the data previously correlated and stored in the database.

Abstract: Whenever a roaming mobile subscriber's preferred long distance carrier is not ascertainable by a visited Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), instead of utilizing a default long distance carrier selected by the visited PLMN, the serving mobile switching center (MSC) analyzes the received International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number to determine the home network provider or PLMN associated with the roaming mobile subscriber. Using the determined home network provider data, the serving MSC retrieves the correlated home PLMN preferred long distance carrier data from its associated register. A long distance carrier specified by the retrieved data is then utilized by the serving MSC to serve all long distance calls originated from and forwarded by the roaming mobile station.

Abstract: After an initial call connection towards a called party mobile station, an originating exchange serving the calling party terminal receives an indication over the connected telecommunications network that the entered called party number is associated with a mobile station. Thereinafter, the serving originating exchange interrogates the HLR directly to determine the mobile switching center (MSC) currently serving the called party mobile station for subsequent outgoing call connection requests towards the called party terminal. After retrieving the roaming number representing the serving MSC for the called party mobile station, a direct call connection is established between the originating exchange and the MSC currently serving the calling party mobile station without establishing a trunk call connection back to the home Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) associated with the calling party mobile station.

Abstract: A mobile subscriber enters a service code followed by a called party number. An application module associated with a mobile station stores the received called party number at an attached Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card. After determining that the mobile station has traveled into the designated home zone, the application module retrieves the stored called party number and automatically originates an outgoing call towards the called party number. By waiting until the mobile station has entered the home zone, the resulting call connection avoids additional air time charges.

Abstract: A system and method for selectively restricting wireless ciphering communications within a telecommunications system is disclosed. A ciphering database contains flags corresponding to the ciphering restrictions on particular geographical areas. After consulting the particular flag for an area, a ciphering mode is determined either restricting ciphering or allowing it within that geographical or geopolitical area.

Abstract: Whenever a mobile station originates an emergency call connection towards a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), a first mobile switching center (MSC) serving the mobile station assigns a first temporary local directory number (TLDN) to the call connection. The assigned TLDN is also utilized as the calling party number (CgPn). Subsequently, whenever the mobile station roams out of the first MSC coverage area, the data correlating the first TLDN with the Mobile Station Integrated Service Digital Network (MSISDN) number associated with the roaming mobile station are maintained by the first MSC if a timer assigned to the first TLDN has not expired. Alternatively, the first MSC may also communicate with the second MSC newly serving the mobile station to request and receive a second TLDN associated with the second MSC.

Abstract: When establishing an emergency call connection towards a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) terminal for a mobile subscriber, instead of transmitting the Mobile Station Integrated Service Directory Number (MSISDN) assigned to the mobile station, a directory number assigned to the serving mobile switching center/visitor location register (MSC/VLR) is transmitted as the Calling Party Number. The MSISDN number is stored into the Generic Address Parameter (GAP) within the transmitted Initial Address Message (IAM) signal. When the PSAP attempts to call back the mobile station in response to a disconnection of the original emergency call connection, the PSAP transmits another IAM signal with the received MSC directory number as the Called Party Number. Once the setup signal is routed to the serving MSC/VLR, an application module within the serving MSC/VLR extracts the MSISDN from the GAP to call back the proper mobile station.

Abstract: Conferencing circuitry, and an associated method, for automatically conferencing together a plurality of subscriber units of a telephonic communications network. A list of directory numbers associated with the subscriber units to be conferenced together is stored in a memory device. When an initiating subscriber initiates formation of the telephonic conference, the initiating subscriber merely enters a conference code by way of an initiating subscriber unit. The conferencing circuitry detects the conferencing coded, and in response thereto automatically conferences together the subscriber units associated with the directory numbers of the accessed list.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing an enhanced Call Forwarding Don't Answer feature is disclosed. When an originating address calls a base address assigned the Call forwarding Don't Answer feature and the call is forwarded to a remote address, a Look Ahead feature is implemented. The Look Ahead feature determines if a call setup to a remote address is successful, unsuccessful or points out a feature assigned to the remote line. The originating address is provided with ring tone during the call setup. The call setup results are then used to make appropriate connections to implement the functions of the feature while providing a steady ring tone to the originating address.