System and method of communicating operating capabilities in a telecommunication network

A method of negotiating operating capabilities in a telecommunications system including at least one mobile station, the method comprising:

• receiving a first list of operating capabilities of a first mobile station at a first node upstream of and associated with the first mobile station wherein the list includes security algorithms supported by the first mobile station and is received prior to setting up a call with the first mobile station;
• storing the operating capabilities of the first mobile station at the first node;
• receiving a second list of operating capabilities of a second mobile station at a second node upstream of and associated with the second mobile station wherein the list includes security algorithms supported by the second mobile station and is received prior to setting up the call with the second mobile station;
• storing the operating capabilities of the second mobile station at the second node;
• and
• selecting agreed upon operating capabilities by comparing the second list to the first list, thereby negotiating the operating capabilities between the first node and the second node.

A method in a first switch node for communicating device operating capabilities between a first mobile station and a second mobile station, wherein the first mobile station is served by the first switch node, wherein the first switch node is associated with a storage means, the method comprising:

• receiving data indicating the device operating capabilities associated with the first mobile station, wherein the data includes codecs supported by the first mobile station and is communicated without establishing a call connection between the first mobile station and the first switch node;
• storing the communicated data within the storage means;
• receiving a call setup message from the first mobile station to establish an outgoing call connection towards the second mobile station;
• retrieving the stored data within the storage means;
• and
• sending an outgoing call setup message to a second switch node serving the second mobile station, wherein the retrieved data are included within the outgoing call setup message to allow the data to be reviewed by the second switch node for device compatibility with the second mobile station so that negotiation of operating capabilities takes place between the first switch node and the second switch node.

A communications node, comprising:

• means for receiving data from a first mobile station, wherein the data indicates device operating capabilities associated with the first mobile station, wherein the data includes codecs supported by the first mobile station and is communicated without establishing a call connection between the first mobile station and the communications node;
• means for storing the communicated data;
• means for receiving a call setup message from the first mobile station to establish an outgoing call connection towards a second mobile station;
• means for retrieving the stored data;
• and
• means for including the retrieved data within an outgoing call setup message to allow the data to be reviewed by a switch node serving the second mobile station for device compatibility with the second mobile station so that negotiation of operating capabilities take place between the communications node and the switch node serving the second mobile station.