A method and apparatus for providing call service features within incompletely upgraded cellular telephone networks

摘要

For a call (50, 100) received by an originating switching node (12(1)) in a cellular telephone network (10) that does not support all upgraded calling service features (52), the all is redirected and transited (60) for further handling to an upgraded service switching node (12(2)). Alternatively, the call is redirected and transited only when the originating switching node has not been upgraded to support subscripted to calling service features (64) or a certain initiated calling service feature (74). As another alternative, the call is handled by the originating switching node (i.e., through connected to a service switching node (82)) up until such time as a calling service feature is initiated (84), and is then redirected and transited (94) if the initiated calling service feature is not supported (86).