Cellular radiotelephone system with remotely programmed mobile stations

A method of operating a cellular telecommunications system to manage user-specific programming stored in a mobile station having an electronic serial number (ESN) stored therein which uniquely identifies said mobile station, said user-specific programming including a mobile identification number (MIN), said MIN being a telephone number assigned to said mobile station so that said mobile station operates in an inactive state wherein said mobile station does not have a valid MIN but has an ESN and in an active state wherein said mobile station has a valid MIN, said method comprising the steps of:

• communicating between said land station and said mobile station using one of either a digital data mode or an analog audio mode;
• operating said land station in cooperation with said mobile station so that said digital data mode is used to communicate both signaling and said user-specific programming;
• operating said land station in cooperation with said mobile station so that said analog audio mode is used to communicate said user information;
• using said MIN to signal calls directed to said mobile station when said mobile station operates in said active state;
• and
• using said ESN to signal calls directed to said mobile station when said mobile station operates in said inactive state.

A method of activating a cellular mobile station from a location remote to said mobile station, said method comprising the steps of:

• storing, in said mobile station, data describing a location-independent identifying code for said mobile station;
• receiving page signalling messages at said mobile station;
• evaluating said page signalling messages to detect a page which references said location-independent identifying code;
• and
• engaging, in response to said page, in a remote programming session in which user-specific programming is received at and stored in said mobile station.

In a cellular radio telecommunications system which activates mobile stations from locations remote to said mobile stations, a mobile station comprising:

• a memory having a first storage location containing data describing a location-independent identifying code for said mobile station, and additional storage locations;
• a receiver configured to receive digital data;
• a transmitter configured to transmit digital data;
• and
• a controller coupled to said memory, receiver, and transmitter, said controller being configured to evaluate a page message which references said location-independent identifying code and to engage in a remote programming session in which user-specific programming is received at said mobile station and stored in said additional storage locations.