Cellular radio system

A method for routing incoming cellular telephone traffic through a land-based host network to a cellular device user aboard an aircraft, the cellular device user having an associated cellular telephone number, comprising:

• receiving, at the host network, a request to register the presence of the cellular device user aboard the aircraft, the request including at least a temporary identification code representing a cellular telephone aboard the aircraft;
• the host network advising the cellular device user's home network that the cellular device user is within the operating jurisdiction of the host network;
• associating, at the host network, a primary divert on busy instruction with the cellular telephone number, the divert on busy instruction representing an instruction to divert an incoming call to a communication system on board the aircraft;
• and
• considering a current operational state associated with the cellular telephone number as busy, regardless of an actual operational state of the cellular telephone;
• wherein, upon receipt of an incoming call to the cellular telephone number, the host forwards an incoming call to the communication system on board the aircraft consistent with the primary divert on busy instruction.

A method for forwarding incoming telephone communications to an aircraft, compnsing:

• receiving a request to divert incoming calls for a telephone number to a communication system on board an aircraft, the request including at least a temporary identification code representing a telephone aboard the aircraft;
• associating a diversion instruction with the telephone number, the diversion instruction representing an instruction to forward an incoming call for the telephone number to the communications system aboard the aircraft;
• and
• considering a state of a telephone associated with the telephone number as busy, regardless of an actual state of the telephone;
• wherein, an incoming telephone call to the telephone number is forwarded, consistent with said considering and in accordance with the diversion instruction, to the communications system on board the aircraft.

A method for routing incoming telephone traffic through a land-based host network to a telephone device user aboard an aircraft, the telephone device user having an associated telephone number, comprising:

• receiving, at the host network, a request to register the presence of the telephone device user aboard the aircraft, the request including at least a temporary identification code representing a telephone aboard the aircraft;
• the host network advising the telephone device user's home network that the telephone device user is within the operating jurisdiction of the host network;
• associating, at the host network, a primary divert on busy instruction with the telephone number, the divert on busy instruction representing an instruction to divert an incoming call to a communication system on board the aircraft;
• and
• considering a current operational state associated with the telephone number as busy, regardless of an actual operational state of the telephone;
• wherein, upon receipt of an incoming call to the telephone number, the host forwards an incoming call to the communication system on board the aircraft consistent with the primary divert on busy instruction.