Mobile communications systems and interconnections strategies for use between different networks and different tariffs of such systems

摘要

A flexible and equitable PCN/PSTN interconnection strategy between a communications network having mobile subscribers, such as a PCN network, and a PSTN whereby to form a communication system in which multiple tariffs can be applied, the tariff applied being determined by the actual location of the mobile subscriber involved in a call. The PSTN (2, 6, 9, 10) is not given total access to the PCN (1, 5, 8, 11) location registers, rather a PSTN to PCN call is via a PCN gateway (5) which does have access to the location registers. The gateway (5) accepts zonal calls with which are associated one tariff (zonal interconnect 4) but for, for example, local or interzonal calls, it provides drop back messages to the PSTN to arrange for appropriate rerouting to other gateways (1, 8) of the PCN which have different tariffs associated therewith (local interconnect 3, interzonal interconnect 7).