Universal wireless radiotelephone system

A method of selectively operating a mobile subscriber handset in a wide service area and in a local service area system:

• comprising the steps of:
• initializing a mobile radiotelephone upon power turn on by:
• investigating if local service is enabled;
• investigating if cellular service is enabled if local service has not been enabled;
• determining which service is enabled and acquiring a valid channel for radiotelephone communications;
• checking for a valid system ID with the local/cellular service that is enabled;
• establish an active call state with the local/cellular service that is enabled;
• and
• when transiting from a local area to a wide area service area;
• transferring service from a local service area to a wide area service area by a handoff operation which includes the steps of;
• detecting an impairment in signal strength of a call in progress;
• providing notification to a handset user of a desirability of a hand-off;
• enabling the handset user to initiate and control an occurrence of the desired hand-off;
• retuning the handset in response to user enabling to acquire a cellular set up channel while continuing to communicate with the local service area station;
• detecting a page from a wide service area station and issuing a page response from the handset;
• assigning a voice channel in the wide area system and tuning the handset to that channel.