Method and system enabling communications between a switched telephone network and a wireless network

• US 7,463,613 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2004
• Issued: 12/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Sylvain, Dany
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsu, Alpus H
• Application Number:
  US10/968,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20050078663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,512 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/352, 370/395.52, 370/401, 379/88.17, 379/93.07, 455/433
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/24 between backbone network devices

Abstract

A method and system enables communications between a switched telephone network and a wireless network comprising a plurality of Mobile Switching Centers (MSCs). Each MSC is connected by respective interfaces to a broadband packet network used for the transfer of bearer traffic between the MSCs, and controls wireless communications with a respective plurality of wireless transceivers. The switched telephone network and the wireless network are interconnected by at least one media gateway for conveying bearer traffic between the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network. The system comprises a location register and a call manager. The location register is adapted to store, in respect of each wireless transceiver, information identifying a respective current MSC controlling communications with the wireless transceiver. The call manager is adapted to: query the location register to obtain the information identifying the current MSC respecting the selected wireless transceiver; and enable a communications path across the broadband packet network between an inbound media gateway and the current MSC. The advantages include simplified routing, congestion reduction and reduced cost of infrastructure to support a rapidly expanding wireless subscriber base.

Claims

1. A call manager interconnecting a switched telephone network and a broadband packet network, the broadband packet network forte transfer of bearer traffic between a plurality of Mobile Switching Centers (MSCs) in a wireless network, the call manager comprising:

at least one communication interface; and

a control system associated with the at least one communication interface, the control system adapted to;

receive a call request for routing a call from the switched telephone network to a selected wireless transceiver in the wireless network; and

obtain information identifying an MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver from a location register adapted to store, in respect of each wireless transceiver in the wireless network, information identifying a one of the plurality of MSCs currently serving the wireless transceiver;

wherein the information identifying the MSC currently sewing the selected wireless transceiver is transferred from the location register to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

2. The call manager of claim 1 wherein to obtain the information identifying the MSC currently sewing the selected wireless transceiver, the call manager queries the location register and the information identifying the MSC currently sewing the selected wireless transceiver is transferred from the location register to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

3. The call manager of claim 2 wherein the location register transfers the information identifying the MSC currently sewing the selected wireless transceiver to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

4. The call manager of claim 1 wherein the call manager enables a communications path between the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver and a system interconnecting the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network without traversing an MSC other than the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver.

5. The call manager of claim 1 wherein the call request is routed from The switched telephone network to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

6. The call manager of claim 1 wherein the call manager further operates to enable a communications path through the broadband packet network between a system interconnecting the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network and a media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network and the MSC currently sewing the selected wireless transceiver.

7. The call manager of claim 1 wherein the broadband packet network is an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network.

8. The call manager of claim 1 wherein The broadband packet network is an Internet Protocol (IP) network.

9. The call manager of claim 1 wherein the broadband packet network is a Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network.

10. The call manager of claim 1 wherein the call manager is further adapted to obtain the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver from the location register using information identifying the selected wireless transceiver.

11. A system for enabling communications between a switched telephone network and a wireless network via a broadband packet network, the wireless network comprising a plurality of Mobile Switching Centers (MSCs) connected by media gateways to the broadband packet network, wherein the broadband packet network is used for the transfer of bearer traffic between the MSCs, the system comprising:

an interconnecting mechanism interconnecting the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network for conveying bearer traffic between the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network, the interconnecting mechanism interconnecting the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network adapted to;

receive a call request for routing a call from the switched telephone network to a selected wireless transceiver in the wireless network; and

route the call request to a call manager that obtains information identifying an MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver from a location register adapted to store, in respect of each wireless transceiver in the wireless network, information identifying a one of the plurality of MSCs currently serving the wireless transceiver;

wherein the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver is transferred from the location register to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein to obtain the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver, the call manager queries the location register and the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver is transferred from the location register to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the location register transfers the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the call manager enables a communications path between the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver and without traversing an MSC other than the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the call request is routed from the switched telephone network to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the interconnecting mechanism interconnecting the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network is further adapted to receive call set-up messages from the call manager, which operates to enable a communications path through the broadband packet network between the interconnecting mechanism and a media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network and the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the interconnecting mechanism comprises a Service Control Point (SSP) in the switched telephone network.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the interconnecting mechanism further comprises a media gateway associated with the SSP and operating as a gateway between the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein the interconnecting mechanism is further adapted to determine a point code of the call manager upon receiving the call request and to route the call request to the point code of the call manager.

20. The system of claim 11 further comprising the call manager.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the call manager is further adapted to determine an address of the media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network and the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the call manager is further adapted to provide call set-up messages to the interconnecting mechanism and to provide call set-up messages to the media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network and the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver to enable a communications path through the broadband packet network between the interconnecting mechanism and the media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network and the MSC.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the interconnecting mechanism is further adapted to reeeive a connection request message from the media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network and the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the connection request messages is a Switched Virtual Circuit (SVC) request.

25. The system of claim 20 wherein the call manager is adapted to obtain the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver from the location register via at least one of the group of networks consisting of the broadband packet network and a Common Channel Signaling (CCS) network.

26. The system of claim 20 further comprising the location register and wherein the location register is a consolidated Home Location Register (HLR) containing information identifying an MSC currently serving each wireless transceiver served by the wireless network.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the location register is co-resident with the call manager.

28. The system of claim 26 wherein the location register is remote from the call manager.

29. The system of claim 20 further comprising the location register and wherein the location register is a plurality of Home Location Registers (HLRs), each HLR being associated with one or more MSCs and containing information related to predetermined ones of the wireless transceivers.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the call manager is further adapted to:

a) select one of the plurality of HLRs; and

b) obtain the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver from the selected HLR via at least one of the group of networks consisting of the broadband packet network and a Common Channel Signaling (CCS) network.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein selection of the HLR is based on a received destination address identifying the selected wireless transceiver.

32. The system of claim 11 wherein the broadband packet network is an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network.

33. The system of claim 11 wherein the broadband packet network is an Internet Protocol (IP) network.

34. The system of claim 11 wherein the broadband packet network is a Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network.

35. The system of claim 22 wherein the call setup messages are Integrated Services Digital Network User Part (ISUP) messages that include information to identify the selected wireless transceiver.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein the call manager is adapted to obtain the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver from the location register using the information identifying the selected wireless transceiver.

37. A method of enabling communications between a switched telephone network and a wireless network via a broadband packet network, the wireless network comprising a plurality of Mobile Switching Centers (MSCs) connected by media gateways to the broadband packet network, the broadband packet network used for the transfer of bearer traffic between the MSCs, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a call request for routing a call from the switched telephone network to a selected wireless transceiver in the wireless network;

obtaining information identifying an MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver from a location register adapted to store, in respect of each wireless transceiver in the wireless network, information identifying a one of the plurality of MSCs controlling communications with the wireless transceiver; and

wherein the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver is transferred from the location register to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein obtaining the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver comprises querying the location register and transferring the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver from the location register to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein obtaining the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver further comprises transferring the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver from the location register to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

40. The method of claim 37 further comprising enabling a communications pat between the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver and a system interconnecting the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network without traversing an MSC other than the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein enabling the communications path comprises providing call set-up messages to the system interconnecting the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network to enable the communications path through the broadband packet network between the system interconnecting the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network and a media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network and the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein enabling the communications path further comprises providing a connection request message to the system from the media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network to the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver, wherein the media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network to the MSC provides the connection request message in response to set-up messages including a network address of the system.

43. A system comprising:

an interconnecting mechanism interconnecting a switched telephone network and a broadband packet network;

a plurality of Mobile Switching Centers (MSCs) coupled to the broadband packet network by a plurality of media gateways, each of the plurality of MSCs adapted to control communications with respective ones of a plurality of wireless transceivers within a corresponding service area;

a location register adapted to store, in respect of each wireless transceiver, information identifying a one of the plurality of MSCs currently serving the wireless transceiver; and

a call manager adapted to obtain information identifying an MSC currently serving a selected wireless transceiver from the location register upon receiving a call request from the interconnecting mechanism for routing a call from the switched telephone network to the selected wireless transceiver, the information transferred from the location register to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

44. The system of claim 43 wherein to obtain the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver, the call manager queries the location register and the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver is transferred from the location register to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

45. The system of claim 44 wherein the location register transfers the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

46. The system of claim 43 wherein the call request is routed from the switched telephone network to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

47. The system of claim 43 wherein each of the plurality of wireless transceivers is capable of being served by any one of the plurality of MSCs when in the corresponding service area.

48. The system of claim 43 wherein the call manager is further adapted tci obtain the information from the location register via a Common Channel Signaling (CCS) network that routes signaling information between the switched telephone network and the call manager without traversing an MSC.

49. The system of claim 43 wherein the call manager is further adapted to obtain the information from the location register via the broadband packet network.

50. The system of claim 43 wherein the interconnecting mechanism is further adapted to:

receive the call request for routing the call from the switched telephone network to the selected wireless transceiver;

route the call request to the call manager; and

receive call set-up messages from the call manager, which enables a communication path through the broadband packet network between the interconnecting mechanism and a one of the plurality of media gateways interconnecting the broadband packet network and the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver.

51. The system of claim 43 wherein the call manager is further adapted to enable a communications path through the broadband packet network between the interconnecting mechanism and a one of the plurality of media broadband packet network and the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver.

52. The system of claim 43 wherein the call manager is further adapted to enable the communications path without traversing an MSC other than the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver.

53. A system for enabling communications between a switched telephone network and a wireless network via a broadband packet network, the wireless network comprising a plurality of Mobile Switching Centers (MSCs) connected by media gateways to the broadband packet network, the broadband packet network used for the transfer of bearer traffic between the MSCs, the system comprising:

means for interconnecting the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network forte transfer of bearer traffic and comprising;

means for receiving a call request for routing a call from the switched telephone network to a selected wireless transceiver in the wireless network; and

means for routing the call request from the means for receiving the call request to a call manager that obtains information identifying an MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver from a location register adapted to store, in respect of each wireless transceiver in the wireless network, information identifying a one of the plurality of MSCs currently serving communications with the wireless transceiver;

wherein the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver is transferred from the location register to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

54. The system of claim 53 wherein to obtain the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver, the call manager queries the location register and the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver is transferred from the location register to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

55. The system of claim 54 wherein the location register transfers the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

56. The system of claim 53 wherein the call manager enables a communications path between the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver and the means for interconnecting the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network without traversing an MSC other than the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver.

57. The system of claim 53 wherein the call request is routed from the switched telephone network to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

58. The system of claim 53 wherein the means for routing the call request to the call manager comprises means for determining a point code of the call manager upon receiving the call request and means for routing the call request to the point code of the call manager.

59. The system of claim 58 wherein the means for determining the point code of the call manager comprising means for querying routing and translation tables.

60. The system of claim 53 wherein the means for interconnecting the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network further comprises a means for receiving call set-up messages from the call manager, which provides the call set-up messages to enable a communications path through the broadband packet network between the means for interconnecting the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network and a media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network and the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver.

61. The system of claim 60 wherein the means for interconnecting the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network further comprises a means for receiving a connection request message from the media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network to the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver wherein the media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network to the MSC provides the connection request message in response to set-up messages including a network address of the means for interconnecting the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network from the call manager.

62. A system for enabling communications between a switched telephone network and a wireless network via a broadband packet network, the wireless network comprising a plurality of Mobile Switching Centers (MSCs) connected by media gateways to the broadband packet network, wherein the broadband packet network is used for the transfer of bearer traffic, the system comprising:

a call manager adapted to receive a call request for routing a call from the switched telephone network to a selected wireless transceiver in the wireless network; and

a location register adapted to store, in respect of each wireless transceiver in the wireless network, information identifying a one of the plurality of MSCs currently serving the wireless transceiver;

wherein the call manager and the location register cooperate such that the information identifying an MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver is transferred from the location register to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

63. The system of claim 62 wherein to obtain the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver, the call manager queries the location register and the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver is transferred from the location register to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

64. The system of claim 63 wherein the location register transfers the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver to the call manager in response to the query from the call manager without traversing an MSC.

65. The system of claim 62 wherein the call request is routed from the switched telephone network to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

66. The system of claim 62 further comprising an interconnecting mechanism for interconnecting the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network for conveying bearer traffic between the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network, the interconnecting mechanism adapted to:

receive the call request for routing the call from the switched telephone network to the selected wireless transceiver in the wireless network; and

route the call request to the call manager.

67. The system of claim 66 wherein the call manager is further adapted to enable a communications path between the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver and the interconnecting mechanism without traversing an MSC other than the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver.

68. The system of claim 66 wherein the interconnecting mechanism is further adapted to receive call set-up messages from the call manager, and the call manager is further adapted to provide the set-up messages to enable a communications path through the broadband packet network between the interconnecting mechanism and a media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network and the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver.

69. The system of claim 66 wherein the interconnecting mechanism comprises a Service Control Point (SSP) in the switched telephone network.

70. The system of claim 69 wherein the interconnecting mechanism further comprises a media gateway associated with the SSP and operating as a gateway between the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network.

71. The system of claim 66 wherein the interconnecting mechanism is fUrther adapted to determine a point code of the call manager upon receiving the call request and to route the call request to the point code of the call manager.

72. The system of claim 66 wherein the call manager is further adapted to determine an address of a media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network and the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver.

73. The system of claim 72 wherein the call manager is further adapted to provide call set-up messages to the interconnecting mechanism and to provide call set-up messages to the media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network and the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver to enable the communications path through the broadband packet network between the interconnecting mechanism and the media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network and the MSC.

74. The system of claim 73 wherein the interconnecting mechanism is further adapted to receive a connection request message from the media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network and the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver.

75. The system of claim 74 wherein the connection request message is a Switched Virtual Circuit (SVC) request.

76. The system of claim 62 wherein the call manager is adapted to obtain the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver from the location register via at least one of the group of networks consisting of the broadband packet network and a Common Channel Signaling (CCS) network.

77. The system of claim 62 wherein the location register is a consolidated Home Location Register (HLR) containing information identifying the MSC currently serving each wireless transceiver served by the wireless network.

78. The system of claim 77 wherein the location register is co-resident with the call manager.

79. The system of claim 77 wherein the location register is remote from the call manager.

80. The system of claim 62 wherein the location register is a plurality of Home Location Registers (HLRs), each HLR being associated with one or more MSCs and containing information related to predetermined ones of the wireless transceivers.

81. The system of claim 80 wherein the call manager is further adapted to:

a) select one of the plurality of HLRs; and

b) obtain the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver from the selected HLR via at least one of the group of networks consisting of the broadband packet network and a Connon Channel Signaling (CCS) network without traversing an MSC.

82. The system of claim 81 wherein selection of the HLR is based on a received destination address identifying the selected wireless transceiver.

83. The system of claim 62 wherein the broadband packet network is an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network.

84. The system of claim 62 wherein the broadband packet network is an Internet Protocol (IP) network.

85. The system of claim 62 wherein the broadband packet network is a Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network.

86. The system of claim 62 wherein the call manager is adapted to obtain the information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver from the location register using information identifying the selected wireless transceiver.

87. The system of claim 62 wherein the system is further adapted to enable communications between a first wireless transceiver in the wireless network and a second wireless transceiver in the wireless network.

88. The system of claim 87 wherein the call manager is further adapted to receive a call request from an originating MSC for routing a call from the first wireless transceiver currently served by the originating MSC to the second wireless transceiver, wherein the call manager and the location register cooperate such that the information identifying an MSC currently serving the second wireless transceiver is transferred from the location register to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

89. The system of claim 88 wherein the call manager queries the location register to obtain the information identifying the MSC currently serving the second wireless transceiver without traversing an MSC.

90. The system of claim 89 wherein the location register transfers the information identifying the MSC currently serving the second wireless transceiver to the call manager without traversing an MSC in response to the query from the call manager.

91. The system of claim 88 wherein the originating MSC receives the call request from the first wireless transceiver and routes the call request to the call manager.

92. The system of claim 62 further comprising a plurality of interconnecting mechanisms for interconnecting the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network for conveying bearer traffic between the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network.

93. The system of claim 92 wherein for a call originating in the wireless network and terminating in the switched telephone network, the call manager is further adapted to:

receive a call request from an originating MSC for routing a call from a originating wireless transceiver currently served by the originating MSC and destination address in the switched telephone network;

enable a communications path between a media gateway interconnecting the originating MSC and the broadband packet network and a select one of the interconnecting mechanisms; and

enable a connection between the select one of the interconnecting mechanisms and the destination address through the switched telephone network.

94. The system of clalm 93 wherein the call manager is further adapted to select the select one of the interconnecting mechanisms based on a geographical proximity between the select one of the interconnecting mechanisms and the destination address.

95. A system for enabling communications between wireless transceivers in a wireless network via a broadband packet network, the wireless network comprising a plurality of Mobile Switching Centers (MSCs) connected by media gateways to the broadband packet network, wherein the broadband packet network is used for the transfer of bearer traffic, the system comprising:

a call manager adapted to receive a call request from an originating MSC for routing a call from a first wireless transceiver currently served by the originating MSC to a second wireless transceiver in the wireless network; and

a location register adapted to store, in respect of each wireless transceiver in the wireless network, information identifying a one of the plurality of MSCs currently serving the wireless transceiver;

wherein the call manager and the location register cooperate such tat information identifying an MSC currently serving the second wireless transceiver is transferred from the location register to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

96. The system of claim 95 wherein the call manager queries the location register to obtain the information identifying the MSC currently serving the second wireless transceiver without traversing an MSC.

97. The system of claim 96 wherein the location register transfers the information identifying the MSC currently serving the second wireless transceiver to the call manager without traversing an MSC in response to the query from the call manager.

98. The system of claim 95 wherein the originating MSC receives the call request from the first wireless transceiver and routes the call request to the call manager.

99. The system of claim 98 wherein the originating MSC is further adapted to determine a point code of the call manager upon receiving the call request from the first wireless transceiver and to route the call request to the point code of the call manager.

100. The system of claim 95 wherein the call manager is further adapted to enable a communications path between the MSC currently serving the second wireless transceiver and the originating MSC.

101. The system of claim 95 wherein the call manager is further adapted to provide call set-up messages to enable a communications path through the broadband packet network between a first media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network and the originating MSC and a second media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network and the MSC currently serving the second wireless transceiver.

102. The system of claim 101 wherein the originating MSC is further adapted to receive a connection request message from the media gateway interconnecting the broadband packet network and the MSC currently serving the second wireless transceiver.

103. The system of claim 102 wherein the connection request messages is a Switched Virtual Circuit (SVC) request.

104. The system of claim 95 wherein the call manager is further adapted to obtain the information identifying the MSC currently serving the second wireless transceiver from the location register via at least one of the group of networks consisting of the broadband packet network and a Common Channel Signaling (CCS) network.

105. The system of claim 95 wherein the location register is a consolidated Home Location Register (HLR) containing information identifying the MSC currently serving each wireless transceiver served by the wireless network.

106. The system of claim 105 wherein the location register is co-resident with the call manager.

107. The system of claim 105 wherein the location register is remote from the call manager.

108. The system of claim 95 wherein the location register is a plurality of Home Location Registers (HLRs), each FILR being associated with one or more MSCs and containing information related to predetermined ones of the wireless transceivers in the wireless network.

109. The system of claim 108 wherein the call manager is further adapted to:

a) select one of the plurality of HLRs; and

b) obtain the information identifying the MSC currently serving the second wireless transceiver from the selected HLR via at least one of the group of networks consisting of the broadband packet network and a Common Channel Signaling (CCS) network without traversing an MSC.

110. The system of claim 109 wherein selection of the HLR is based on a received destination address identifying the second wireless transceiver.

111. The system of claim 95 wherein the broadband packet network is an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network.

112. The system of claim 95 wherein the broadband packet network is an Internet Protocol (IP) network.

113. The system of claim 95 wherein the broadband packet network is a Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network.

114. A method for enabling communications between a switched telephone network and a wireless network via a broadband packet network, the wireless network comprising a plurality of Mobile Switching Centers (MSCs), coupled to the broadband packet network, the method comprising:

receiving a call request for routing a call from the switched telephone network to a select wireless transceiver in the wireless network; and

establishing a communications path for transfer of bearer traffic associated with the call between an interconnecting mechanism interconnecting the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network and an MSC currently serving the select wireless transceiver over the broadband packet network without traversing an MSC other than the MSC currently serving the select wireless transceiver regardless of which of the plurality of MSCs is the MSC currently serving the select wireless transceiver.

115. The method of claim 114 wherein the step of establishing the communications path comprises establishing a communications path between the interconnecting mechanism and a media gateway interconnecting the MSC currently serving the select wireless transceiver and the broadband packet network.

116. The method of claim 114 wherein the step of receiving the call request comprises:

receiving the call request at the interconnecting mechanism;

routing the call request to a call manager; and

obtaining information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver.

117. The method of claim 116 wherein the step of obtaining the information comprises cooperating with a location register adapted to store, in respect of each wireless transceiver in the wireless network, information identifying a one of the plurality of MSCs currently serving the wireless transceiver to obtain the information identifying the MSC currently serving the select wireless transceiver.

118. The method of claim 117 wherein the information is transferred from the location register to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

119. The method of claim 114 wherein the select wireless transceiver is a roaming wireless transceiver and the MSC currently serving the select wireless transceiver is an MSC other than a home MSC of the select wireless transceiver.

120. A call manager for enabling communications between a switched telephone network and a wireless network via a broadband packet network, the wireless network comprising a plurality of Mobile Switching Centers (MSCs) coupled to the broadband packet network, the call manager comnrising:

at least one communication interface; and

a control system associated with the at least one communication interface, the control system adapted to;

receive a call request for routing a call from the switched telephone network to a select wireless transceiver in the wireless network; and

establish a communications path for transfer of bearer traffic associated with the call between an interconnecting mechanism interconnecting the switched telephone network and the broadband packet network and an MSC currently serving the select wireless transceiver over the broadband packet network without traversing an MSC other than the MSC currently serving the select wireless transceiver regardless of which of the plurality of MSCs is the MSC currently serving the select wireless transceiver.

121. The call manager of claim 120 wherein the MSC currently serving the select wireless transceiver is connected to the broadband packet network by a media gateway and the call manager is adapted to establish the communications path between the system interconnecting the switched telephone network and the broadband packct network interconnecting mechanism and the media gateway.

122. The call manager of claim 120 wherein the call manager is further adapted to obtain information identifying the MSC currently serving the selected wireless transceiver from a location register adapted to store, in respect of each wireless transceiver in the wireless network, information identifying a one of the plurality of MSCs currently serving the wireless transceiver.

123. The call manager of claim 122 wherein the call manager is further adapted to cooperate with the location register to obtain the information, wherein the information is transferred from the location to the call manager without traversing an MSC.

124. The call manager of claim 120 wherein the select wireless transceiver is a roaming wireless transceiver and the MSC currently serving the select wireless transceiver is an MSC other than a home MSC of the select wireless transceiver.