System and method for hyperband cell interoperability in a cellular telecommunications network

A method of providing seamless interoperability for mobile stations capable of operating in a first hyperband, mobile stations capable of operating in a second hyperband, and for multi-hyperband capable mobile stations, each mobile station roaming between cells within a cellular telecommunications network having a mobile switching center and a plurality of base stations that transmit and receive radio signals in a plurality of frequency hyperbands, said method comprising the steps of:

• operating a plurality of location and verification devices within each of said plurality of base stations, each of said plurality of location and verification devices operating in a different one of said plurality of frequency hyperbands;
• for each base station, building a neighbor list of neighbor cells that includes cells operating in different ones of said plurality of frequency hyperbands;
• identifying the best candidate cell for communication with said mobile station, wherein if said mobile station is one that is capable of operating in said first frequency hyperband, said best candidate cell is selected from a neighbor list having only cells operating in said first frequency hyperband, if said mobile station is one that is capable of operating in said second frequency hyperband, said best candidate cell is selected from a neighbor list having only cells operating in said second frequency hyperband, and if said mobile station is one that is multi-hyperband capable, said best candidate cell is selected from a neighbor list having cells capable of operating in either said first frequency hyperband or said second frequency hyperband;
• determining whether said mobile station is in said best candidate cell;
• and
• handing off said mobile station to said best candidate cell upon determining that said mobile station is in said best candidate cell.

A method of providing seamless interoperability for mobile stations capable of operating in a first hyperband, mobile stations capable of operating in a second hyperband, and for a multi-hyperband capable mobile stations, each mobile station roaming between cells within a cellular telecommunications network having a mobile switching center and a plurality of base stations that transmit and receive radio signals in a plurality of frequency hyperbands, said method comprising the steps of:

• designating a cell in which said mobile station is operating as a serving cell, said serving cell having a serving base station;
• building a neighbor list of cells that neighbor said serving cell, said neighbor cells including cells operating in frequency hyperbands supported by said multi-hyperband capable mobile station;
• measuring signal strengths in each of said plurality of frequency hyperbands between said mobile station and said serving base station, and between said mobile station and said cells in said neighbor list;
• determining the best candidate cell for communication with said mobile station, wherein if said mobile station is one that is capable of operating in said first frequency hyperband, said best candidate cell is selected from a neighbor list having only cells operating in said first frequency hyperband, if said mobile station is one that is capable of operating in said second frequency hyperband, said best candidate cell is selected from a neighbor list having only cells operating in said second frequency hyperband, and if said mobile station is one that is multi-hyperband capable, said best candidate cell is selected from a neighbor list having cells capable of operating in either said first frequency hyperband or said second frequency hyperband;
• and
• handing off said mobile station to said best candidate cell for communication with said mobile station.