Signaling arrangements in a cellular mobile telecommunications switching system

In a cellular mobile switching center (MSC), a method of signaling from any mobile station via a base station system to a selected one of a plurality of control processors, each control processor for controlling a wireless switching module for switching wireless calls of said MSC, the selected processor for assisting in the control of a wireless service for a mobile subscriber, comprising the steps of:

• transmitting signaling messages, said messages having a common reference number, said messages for control of said service for said subscriber, from said mobile station via a base station system (BSS), via a protocol handler of one of said wireless switching modules connected to said BSS, over a physical circuit connection to a centralized signal switching means of said MSC, for performing protocol handling and data switching for said messages received from any of said wireless switching modules of said MSC;
• within said centralized signal switching means, maintaining state information for controlling the protocol of a plurality of virtual circuit connections, each virtual circuit connection having a common reference number, and for identifying one of said plurality of virtual circuit connections between the BSS and the centralized signal switching means;
• and
• transmitting messages, of said one of said plurality of virtual circuit connections received in said centralized signal switching means, over one of a plurality of second physical circuit connections therefrom to one of said control processors of said switching system for assisting in the control of a wireless service.