METHOD, SYSTEM AND MOBILE SWITCHING CENTER (MSC) FOR REPORTING CAPABILITY TO PERFORM PERIODIC BROADCAST SHORT MESSAGE SERVICE (SMS)

摘要

In a cellular telecommunications network, a method and system allowing a Message Center (MC 61) to receive an indication of the periodic broadcast SMS capability of co-operating Mobile Switching Centers (MSC 12) when a periodic broadcast SMS is initiated. According to the invention, when a periodic broadcast SMS request is sent from an MC to one MSC for broadcast to the Mobile Stations (MS 69), the MSC detects its own capability (58) to handle the periodic broadcast SMS request based upon the current load (81, 83) on its processing resources. A decision (85) is taken whether or not the MSC will handle on its own the periodic broadcast SMS request, and an indication of the MSC's capability is sent back to the MC. If the MSC accepts to handle the periodic broadcast SMS request on its own, the MSC records (59) the message and periodically broadcasts (63, 65, 67) it to the destination MSs. If not, the MC periodically sends a regular broadcast SMS request (70, 73, 75) along with an instruction for delivery to the MSC, which in turn forwards (71, 73, 75) the SMS body message to the destination MSs.