Method and arrangement for controlling subscriber registrations in a mobile communication system

A method of controlling location updating in a mobile communication system where subscriber data concerning visiting subscribers is temporarily stored in a visitor location register said method comprising

• sending a location updating request when the mobile subscriber has moved to the area of a new visitor location register the method further comprising:
• dividing the mobile subscribers into subscriber groups,
• setting subscriber group-specific subscriber registration quotas,
• counting the number of subscribers registered in the visitor location register per each subscriber group,
• rejecting the location updating of a mobile subscriber in the new visitor location register when the subscriber registration quota of the subscriber group to which the mobile subscriber belongs is occupied according to the counted number of registrations, and
• allowing the location updating of a mobile subscriber in the new visitor location register when the subscriber registration quota of the subscriber group to which the mobile subscriber belongs is unoccupied according to the counted number of registrations.

A subscriber database for temporary storage of subscriber data concerning mobile subscribers visiting the area of the register in a mobile communication system, said database comprising:

• mobile subscribers being arranged into subscriber groups,
• means for counting the number of subscribers registered in the visitor location resister per each subscriber group,
• means for limiting the number of mobile subscribers to be registered in the visitor location register on the basis of the counting results of the counting means, the counting means comprising subscriber group-specific counters adapted to
• increment the result of the counting by one when a mobile subscriber belonging to the respective subscriber group is allowed to register, and
• decrement the result of the counting by one when the registration of a mobile subscriber belonging to the respective subscriber group is deleted from the visitor location register,
• compare the counting result of the counting means with a preset maximum value associated with the respective subscriber group,
• reject further registrations of mobile subscribers belonging to said respective subscriber group in the visitor location register when the counting result and the preset maximum value match, and
• allow further registration of the mobile subscribers belonging to said respective subscriber group in the visitor location register when the counting result and the preset maximum value do not match.