System and method of signaling the importance of a transmission in a wireless communications network

A system for transmitting signals in a wireless communications network, the system comprising:

• a destination mobile switching center, the destination mobile switching center configured to communicate with a recipient mobile device;
• an originating mobile switching center, the originating mobile switching center configured to:
• receive call information for a particular call from an originating mobile device;
• generate an initial address message for the particular call, the initial address message including a notification value field;
• determine whether an importance level has been designated for the particular call by a user of an originating mobile device;
• set a value of the notification value field to a value corresponding to the importance level of the particular call if the importance level has been designated for the particular call;
• and
• transmit the initial address message for the particular call to a recipient mobile device via the destination mobile switching center.

A mobile switching center of a wireless communications network, the mobile switching center comprising:

• a processor;
• a non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-program instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:
• receive call information for a particular call at a mobile switching center from an originating mobile device;
• generate an initial address message for the particular call, the initial address message including a notification value field;
• determine whether an importance level has been designated for the particular call by a user of the originating mobile device;
• set a value of the notification value field to a value corresponding to the importance level of the particular call if the importance level has been designated for the particular call;
• and
• transmit the initial address message for the particular call to a recipient mobile device.