Providing location-based call forwarding within a mobile telecommunications network

A method for retrieving location-based call forwarding subscriber data associated with a particular mobile station from a home location register (HLR) associated with said mobile station within a mobile telecommunications network, said method comprising the steps of:

• detecting the presence of a particular mobile station by a mobile switching center (MSC) serving a particular service area;
• transmitting a signal to a home location register (HLR) associated with said mobile station to update said HLR with a current location of said mobile station;
• determining the identity of said service area providing mobile service to said mobile station;
• retrieving a set of predetermined call forwarding data associated with said mobile station and designated for use by the mobile station within said determined service area;
• and
• transporting said retrieved predetermined call forwarding data from said HLR to said MSC serving said service area.

A system for providing location-based call forwarding data to a mobile station within a mobile telecommunications network, said system comprising:

• a MSC;
• and
• a HLR having a storage record, said HLR configured to:
• receive a signal identifying a mobile switching center (MSC) currently serving said mobile station and the current location of said mobile station;
• and
• retreive a predetermined set of call forwarding data from said storage record associated with said mobile station for said current location.

A method for providing location-based call forwarding to a mobile subscriber, comprising the steps of:

• storing by a mobile subscriber at a HLR call forwarding data for said mobile subscriber for each one of a plurality of service areas;
• determining;
• if a current service area associated with said mobile subscriber matches one of said plurality of service areas;
• and
• providing call forwarding service to said mobile subscriber in accordance with said call forwarding data associated with said current service area if said current service area matches one of said plurality of service areas.