Method, system and apparatus in a telecommunications network for selectively transmitting information utilizing the internet

Abstract

A method, system and apparatus in a wireless communications system selectively utilizes the Internet for the transmission of information. In a first embodiment, a subscriber can activate an Internet call forwarding (ICF) supplementary service (SS). From the subscriber's Mobile Station, an ICF message is transmitted to and stored in the subscriber's Home Location Register (HLR). The ICF message may optionally designate an Internet protocol (IP) address destination and may optionally activate other features pursuant to the data type received. For example, the ICF message may request that only fax/data calls or only calls that would otherwise incur a long distance charge be forwarded over/through the Internet. In operation, an incoming call to a Gateway Mobile Services Switching Center (GMSC) causes the GMSC to interrogate the called party's HLR. The information in the incoming call is then forwarded either over/through the Internet or over the PSTN based on the features activated by the ICF message. In another embodiment, conventional telecommunication signaling commands such as the Initial Address Message may be transmitted to the target telecommunications node over the Internet.