Personal mobile communication system with call bridging

A system for establishing communications with a mobile telecommunications subscriber, comprising:

• means for automatically determining if the mobile telecommunications subscriber is roaming outside a home service area in a foreign service area having a foreign telecommunications service;
• database means for storing (a) a status indication if the means for determining has determined that said subscriber is roaming outside of the home service area in the foreign service area, and (b) a paging number for signaling said subscriber in said foreign service area;
• switch means responsive to a first call placed to said subscriber for
• (a) accessing said database means to determine if said status indication indicates the means for determining has determined that said subscriber is roaming;
• (b) if the means for determining has determined that said subscriber is not roaming, routing said first call to said subscriber;
• and
• (c) if the means for determining has determined that said subscriber is roaming,
• (i) retrieving said paging number;
• (ii) routing said first call to a first bridge input and placing said first call on hold;
• and
• (iii) causing a paging signal representing an identification of the first bridge input to be transmitted to said subscriber in said foreign service area;
• and
• means responsive to a mobile telecommunications second call made by said subscriber, using the foreign telecommunications service, for routing said second call to a second bridge input, thereby bridging said mobile telecommunications call to said first call placed to said subscriber;
• and
• means for providing information to said subscriber that is derived from ANI information associated with said first call placed to said subscriber;
• wherein said information providing means includes means for accessing stored information as a function of said ANI information.

A method of establishing communications with a mobile telecommunications subscriber located outside of a home service area and roaming in a foreign service area having a foreign telecommunications service, comprising the steps of:

• automatically determining if the mobile telecommunications subscriber is roaming;
• storing in a database
• (a) a status indication that said subscriber is roaming outside of said home service area in said foreign service area, and
• (b) a paging number for signaling said subscriber in said foreign service area;
• responsive to a first call placed to said subscriber
• (a) accessing said database means to determine if it is determined that said status indication indicates that said subscriber is roaming;
• (b) if it is determined that said subscriber is not roaming, connecting said first call to said subscriber;
• and
• (c) if it is determined that said subscriber is roaming,
• (i) retrieving said paging number,
• (ii) routing said call to a first bridge input and placing said call on hold, and
• (iii) transmitting a paging signal to said subscriber in said foreign service area, by paging to the subscriber an identification of the bridging means;
• and
• responsive to a mobile telecommunications second call to the bridging means made by said subscriber, using the foreign telecommunications service, routing said second call to a second bridge input, thereby bridging said mobile telecommunications call to said first call placed to said subscriber;
• storing messages for later retrieval by said subscriber, said message storage step being activated as a function of said status indication;
• playing interactive voice announcements in response to the first call placed to said subscriber;
• and
• providing said subscriber with messages stored in said storage means before performing said bridging step.

A method of establishing communications with a mobile telecommunications subscriber located outside of a home service area and roaming in a foreign service area having a foreign telecommunications service, comprising the steps of:

• automatically determining if the mobile telecommunications subscriber is roaming;
• storing in a database
• (a) a status indication that said subscriber is roaming outside of said home service area in said foreign service area, and
• (b) a paging number for signaling said subscriber in said foreign service area;
• responsive to a first call placed to said subscriber
• (a) accessing said database means to determine if it is determined that said status indication indicates that said subscriber is roaming;
• (b) if it is determined that said subscriber is not roaming, connecting said first call to said subscriber;
• and
• (c) if it is determined that said subscriber is roaming,
• (i) retrieving said paging number,
• (ii) routing said call to a first bridge input and placing said call on hold, and
• (iii) transmitting a paging signal to said subscriber in said foreign service area, by paging to the subscriber an identification of the bridging means;
• and
• responsive to a mobile telecommunications second call to the bridging means made by said subscriber, using the foreign telecommunications service, routing said second call to a second bridge input, thereby bridging said mobile telecommunications call to said first call placed to said subscriber;
• providing information to said subscriber that is derived from ANI information associated with said first call placed to said subscriber;
• and
• accessing stored information as a function of said ANI information.