METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR GLOBAL ROAMING IN A CELLULAR TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

摘要

A global roaming system and method for allowing a subscriber to roam between first and second cellular telecommunications systems having non-compatible air interfaces where the subscriber has a subscription in the first cellular telecommunications system and has at least one mobile terminal adapted to operate with the non-compatible air interfaces. The global roaming system includes a home location register (HLR) associated with the first cellular telecommunications system for storing a service profile including one directory number for the subscriber that includes fields for storing number pairs comprising a mobile identification number (MIN) and a mobile serial system number (ESN) where each number pair is recognizable by at least one of the first and second cellular telecommunications systems. Signaling links are provided to interconnect the first and second cellular telecommunications systems with the HLR. By including these number pairs in the HLR and the translation device in the signaling links, a mobile terminal is able to obtain a profile for use in a non-compatible system from the mobile terminal's HLR, and the HLR can be updated with the location of that mobile terminal in its non-compatible cellular telecommunications system.