BROADCASTING MESSAGES TO MOBILE STATIONS WITHIN A GEOGRAPHIC AREA

摘要

A dialable directory number is assigned to a particular location area (160) or cell area (170). A telecommunications user wanting to transmit user defined messages, such as a text message, to mobile stations (20) within that location area or cell area transmits a signal encapsulating the message towards the assigned directory number. The transmitted signal is then routed through the conventional telecommunications network and delivered to the MSC (40) providing mobile service to that particular location area or cell area. If the specified directory number is associated with a location area within a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), the serving MSC queries the attached visitor location register (VLR) (30) to identify the mobile stations currently located within the specified location area. If the specified directory number is associated with a cell area, the serving MSC communicates with a base station controller (BSC) (70) providing mobile service to that particular cell area. Thereinafter, the received message is transmitted using short message service (SMS) messages (210) to each of the mobile stations determined to be located within the specified geographic area.