Tunneling of non-GSM signaling messages in a GSM based network to enable both non-GSM circuit service and GSM packet service to the mobile station

A method of tunneling a message capsule containing one or more non-GSM signaling messages from a non-GSM mobile switching center that operates using non-GSM protocols to a mobile station of a non-GSM network, that uses a GSM serving GPRS support node and a gateway GPRS support node to provide packet service, comprising the steps of:

• transmitting the message capsule and a mobile station identifier corresponding to the mobile station from the mobile switching center to the serving GPRS support node;
• constructing, at the serving GPRS support node, a tunneling of messages protocol envelope including the message capsule and information specific to the non-GSM protocols;
• and
• transmitting the tunneling of messages protocol envelope to the mobile station based on the mobile station identifier.

A method of tunneling signaling messages between a mobile station of a non-GSM network that uses a GSM serving GPRS support node and a gateway GPRS support node to provide packet service, and a plurality of mobile switching centers that operates using non-GSM protocols, comprising the steps of:

• constructing an uplink tunneling of messages protocol envelope, at the mobile station, including an uplink message capsule containing one or more non-GSM signaling messages and information specific to the non-GSM protocols;
• transmitting the uplink tunneling of messages protocol envelope to the serving GPRS support node;
• determining, at the serving GPRS support node, that a one mobile switching center of the plurality of mobile switching centers is to receive the uplink message capsule based on a routing area identifier corresponding to the mobile station and the information specific to the non-GSM protocols and transmitting the uplink message capsule to the mobile switching center;
• transmitting a downlink message capsule, containing one or more non-GSM signaling messages, and an identity of the mobile station, from the mobile switching center to the serving GPRS support node;
• constructing, at the serving GPRS support node, a downlink tunneling of messages protocol envelope including the downlink message capsule and information specific to the non-GSM protocols and transmitting the downlink tunneling of messages protocol envelope to the mobile station;
• and
• determining, at the mobile station, whether the non-GSM protocols are supported by the mobile station based on the information specific to the non-GSM protocols contained in the downlink tunneling of messages protocol envelope.