Wide area mobile communication networks with multiple routing mode options

A packet switched mobile communication device for use on a terrestrial system for communicating with a fixed communication device through a base station packet switch, the mobile communication device comprising:

• a packet data generating system generating a packet data message for transmission to the fixed communication device using one of a plurality of radio frequency transmission paths, the packet data message having message characteristics associated therewith, each of the plurality of radio frequency transmission paths having transmission path characteristics associated therewith;
• and
• a switching system coupled to the packet data generating system, wherein the switching system selects, as a function of the message characteristics of the packet data message and as a function of the transmission path characteristics of each of the plurality of radio frequency transmission paths, a preferred one of the plurality of radio frequency transmission paths to be used for transmitting the packet data message to the fixed communication device, wherein the plurality of radio frequency transmission paths are provided by independent and self-sufficient sub-networks, wherein independent and self-sufficient sub-networks are sub-networks having substantially no required inter-network communication links between the sub-networks.

A packet switched mobile communication method implemented on a terrestrial system for communicating with a fixed communication device through a base station packet switch, the mobile communication device comprising the steps of:

• generating a packet data message for transmission to the fixed communication device using one of a plurality of radio frequency transmission paths, the packet data message having message characteristics associated therewith, each of the plurality of radio frequency transmission paths having transmission path characteristics associated therewith;
• and
• selecting, as a function of the message characteristics of the packet data message and as a function of the transmission path characteristics of each of the plurality of radio frequency transmission paths, a preferred one of the plurality of radio frequency transmission paths to be used for transmitting the packet data message to the fixed communication device, wherein the plurality of radio frequency transmission paths are provided by substantially independent and substantially self-sufficient sub-networks, wherein the substantially independent and substantially self-sufficient sub-networks comprise sub-networks having no required inter-network communication links between the sub-networks.