Method for providing wireless communication services and network and system for delivering same

• US 7,684,804 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2006
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cricket Communications Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Saboe, John, Hutcheson, Doug
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US11/511,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20080200176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,303 Days
• Field of Search: 455/446, 455/453, 455405-408, 379/114.01
• US Class Current: 455/446
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0152 General billing plans, rate plans, e.g. charge rates, numbering plans, rate centers, customer accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0184 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7435 Location dependent, e.g. Bussiness or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an improved network and system for a wireless communication system. The improved business method, operations method, network and system of the present invention includes the steps of delivering cellular services to the mass market, reducing peak capacity, increasing overall capacity utilization, improving capital utilization, providing an “all-you-can-eat” pricing model, and designing capacity based upon where the users live, work, and play.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system comprising:

at least one base station configured to provide service to a plurality of subscriber mobile communication units within a geographic area, wherein the geographic area includes a covered population of at least 4,000 and the at least one base station is configured to maintain a blocked call percentage of less than or equal to 4%; and

a plurality of subscriber mobile communication units configured to communicate with the at least one base station using Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA);

wherein the wireless communication system is optimized such that a monthly average minutes of use per subscriber is at least 1,000.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one base station maintains within the geographic area an in-building coverage of at least 12 decibels.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one base station includes a plurality of carrier frequencies.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one base station maintains within the geographic area an in-building coverage of at least 18 decibels.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one base station is further configured to implement an enhanced variable rate codec.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein an energy per bit to noise density ratio is maintained substantially equal to 5.5 decibels.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one base station supports at least 19 calls per sector.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a frame error rate of greater than 1%.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the frame error rate is greater than 1% and less than or equal to 3%.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication system is optimized such that the monthly average minutes of use per subscriber is at least 1,500.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one base station is further configured to maintain a dropped call percentage of less than or equal to 4%.

12. A wireless communication system comprising:

at least one base station configured to provide service to a plurality of subscriber mobile communication units within a geographic area, wherein the at least one base station is configured to maintain a blocked call percentage of less than or equal to 4% and a dropped call percentage of less than or equal to 4%; and

a plurality of subscriber mobile communication units configured to communicate with the at least one base station using Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA);

wherein the wireless communication system is optimized such that a measure of Erlangs per subscriber is at least 0.049.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one base station includes a plurality of carrier frequencies.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one base station is further configured to support at least 19 calls per sector.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising a frame error rate greater than 10% and less than or equal to 3%.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the geographic area includes a covered population of at least 4,000.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one base station maintains within the geographic area an in-building coverage of at least 12 decibels.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one base station is further configured to implement an enhanced variable rate codec.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein an energy per bit to noise density ratio is maintained substantially equal to 5.5 decibels.

20. A method of communicating in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

configuring at least one base station to provide service to a plurality of subscriber mobile communication units within a geographic area such that a blocked call percentage is maintained at less than or equal to 4%, wherein the geographic area includes a covered population of at least 4,000; and

configuring a plurality of subscriber mobile communication units to communicate with the at least one base station using Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA);

wherein a monthly average minutes of use per subscriber is at least 1,000.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising configuring the at least one base station to maintain within the geographic area an in-building coverage of at least 12 decibels.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising configuring the at least one base station to include a plurality of carrier frequencies.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising configuring the at least one base station to implement an enhanced variable rate codec.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising configuring the at least one base station to maintain a frame error rate of greater than 1% and less than or equal to 3%.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the monthly average minutes of use per subscriber is at least 1,500.

26. A method of communicating in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

configuring at least one base station to provide service to a plurality of subscriber mobile communication units within a geographic area such that a blocked call percentage is maintained at less than or equal to 4% and a dropped call percentage is maintained at less than or equal to 4%; and

configuring a plurality of subscriber mobile communication units to communicate with the at least one base station using Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA);

wherein a measure of Erlangs per subscriber is at least 0.049.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising configuring the at least one base station to include a plurality of carrier frequencies.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising configuring the at least one base station to support at least 19 calls per sector.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the geographic area includes a covered population of at least 4,000.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising configuring the at least one base station to maintain within the geographic area an in-building coverage of at least 12 decibels.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein an energy per bit to noise density ratio is maintained substantially equal to 5.5 decibels.