Systems and methods for preventing unauthorized use of roaming numbers in a wireless telecommunications system

A wireless telecommunications system Mobile Switching Center (MSC) adapted to prevent unauthorized use of roaming numbers, said MSC operative to:

• receive a request for a roaming number from a Home Location Register (HLR) associated with a mobile terminal located within the geographical service area of said MSC;
• allocate a roaming number for said mobile terminal;
• assign an authentication code to said roaming number;
• send a response to said request for roaming number from said MSC to said HLR, said response including said roaming number and said authentication code, said HLR relaying said roaming number and said authentication code to a Gateway Mobile Switching Center (GMSC) that has received a call request for said mobile terminal;
• receive a call setup request from said GMSC, said call setup request including said roaming number and said authentication code;
• confirming said authentication code in said call setup request;
• and,
• if said authentication code for said roaming number is confirmed, completing said call request to said mobile terminal.

A wireless telecommunications system Gateway Mobile Switching Center (GMSC) adapted to prevent unauthorized use of roaming numbers, said GMSC operative to:

• receive a call request for a mobile;
• send a request for routing information to a Home Location Register (HLR) associated with said mobile terminal, said request for routing information causing said HLR to send a request for a roaming number to a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) associated with the roaming area in which said mobile terminal is geographically located, said request for a roaming number causing said MSC to allocate a roaming number for said mobile terminal, assign an authentication code to said roaming number, and send a response to said request for roaming number to said HLR, said response including said roaming number and said authentication code;
• receive said roaming number and said authentication code from said HLR;
• sending a call setup request from said GMSC to said MSC, said call setup request including said roaming number and said authentication code, said MSC completing said call request only upon confirming said authentication code for said roaming number.

A wireless telecommunications system Home Location Register (HLR) adapted to prevent unauthorized use of roaming numbers, said HLR operative to:

• receive a request for routing information from a Gateway Mobile Switching Center (GMSC), said request for routing information identifying a mobile terminal associated with said HLR for which said GMSC has received a call request;
• sending a request for a roaming number from said HLR to the Mobile Switching Center (MSC) associated with the roaming area in which said mobile terminal is geographically located, said request for a roaming number causing said MSC to allocate a roaming number for said mobile terminal, assign an authentication code to said roaming number, and send a response to said request for roaming number to said HLR, said response including said roaming number and said authentication code;
• receiving said roaming number and said authentication code at said HLR;
• sending said roaming number and said authentication code from said HLR to said GMSC, whereupon said GMSC can send a call setup request from said GMSC to said MSC, said call setup request including said roaming number and said authentication code, said MSC completing said call request only upon confirming said authentication code for said roaming number.