Method and apparatus for increasing the answering probability of calls

Abstract

A radio communication system is disclosed comprising a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) where mobile radio telephones communicate with at least one mobile services switching center via corresponding base stations and where a home location register is connected to the at least one mobile services switching center. A wide area paging system sends out paging signals from at least one paging system accessible to the at least one mobile services switching center. A plurality of mobile radio telephones register their whereabouts in the home location register each time they are switched on. A plurality of pagers are associated with but physically separate from the mobile telephones. The paging system is accessed by the mobile services switching center for performing a page to a called subscriber when the called subscriber's mobile radio telephone is in an off state or cannot be reached for other reasons. An incoming call to the mobile telephone is parked until the mobile telephone is switched on and registered with the home location register and the mobile services switching center parking the incoming call is informed of the active state of the mobile telephone and is provided with a roaming number. The mobile services switching center then calls the activated mobile telephone using a page over the cellular network and the mobile telephone answers the incoming call. If the mobile telephone is not switched on and does not register within a specified time after parking the incoming call, a time out will occur and disconnect the parked incoming call.