WO1997050234A2

WO1997050234A2 - Concurrent ringing on multiple network telephones

Info

Publication number: WO1997050234A2
Application number: PCT/US1997/009497
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sandip Mukerjee; Louis Michael Taff; Richard Zaffino
Original assignee: At & T Wireless Services, Inc.
Priority date: 1996-06-27
Filing date: 1997-05-30
Publication date: 1997-12-31
Also published as: US6405041B1; WO1997050234A3; TW353256B; US20020160780A1; US6584317B2

Abstract

A system and method for concurrently ringing a subscriber's wired and mobile stations, where the wired station is served by a wired telecommunications network and the mobile station is served by a wireless telecommunications network. The call is routed to a network interface point of control from either the wired or wireless networks and the network interface becomes the point of control for the call. The call is initially offered to the mobile station by the network interface point of control, and before the mobile station rings, the call is offered to the wired station so that the wired and mobile stations ring concurrently.

Description

TITLE OF THE INVENTION CONCURRENT RINGING ON MULTIPLE NETWORK TELEPHONES

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field Of The Invention The present invention relates to telecommunicatioa systems and, more particularly, to an apparatus and a method for ringing a subscriber's wired and wireless mobile stations concurrently based upon a call to that particular subscriber's published number. 2. Description Of The Related Art With the increasing popularity of wireless telecommunication systems (i.e, wireless cellular telephone systems), telecommunication service providers offer many different types of telecommunication services to their respective customers. Such services are generally provided to users on a subscription basis and, therefore, these users are generally referred to as "subscribers. " Quite often, subscribers may have multiple telephones or stations at which they may be reached, such as a wired station at home or in the office and a wireless station. Accordingly, one category of telecommunication services offered to subscribers having multiple stations— a wired station (i.e., a wired telephone) served by a wired telecommunications network and a wireless station (i.e., a mobile station) served by a wireless telecommunications network— is to sequentially ring the wired and wireless stations upon the placement of a call to that particular subscriber ' s published number . A known method for providing such a call delivery service is to ring the subscriber's wired and wireless stations sequentially. As illustrated in FIG. 1 for instance, when a call is placed to a subscriber's published number, the call is routed to an end office or private branch exchange (PBX) 140 within the wired telecommunications network. The end office or PBX 140 causes the subscriber's wired station 150 to initially ring and, if there is no answer on the wired station 150, the call is forwarded from the end office or PBX 140 in the wired telecommunications network to the wireless telecommunications network 130 to thereafter ring the subscriber's wireless station 170. Unfortunately, when the call is not initially answered by the subscriber at the wired station 150 according to this known method of call delivery, the calling party initiating the call to the subscriber may experience a delay between the ringing of the wired station and that of the wireless station. Additionally, as a result of forwarding the call to ring wireless station 170 in a different network 130, me calling party may also experience a prolonged ring time. As a result of such prolonged ring time, callers may have a tendency to abandon the call when the call at the first rung station 150 goes unanswered and before the call is transferred to and/or rings at the second station 170. Accordingly, a call delivery method that rings the subscriber's wired and wireless stations 150, 170 concurrently is desirable. The term "concurrently" is used herein to mean more or less at the same time, and is not limited to necessarily ringing the stations synchronously with identical periods and duty cycles (on-time and off-time). As illustrated in FIG. 1, however, such concurrent ringing of the subscriber's wired and wireless stations 150, 170 is problematic because there are two different networks involved with die wired and wireless stations (e.g., the wired telecommunication network and the wireless telecommunication network 130) and tiiese networks do not presently coordinate the interaction necessary to ring stations on both networks concurrently. It has also been difficult to concurrently ring a subscriber's wired and wireless stations because the call set-up time for a wireless station is generally longer than that for a wired station.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, a system and memod are provided for concurrently ringing a subscriber's wired and mobile stations, where me wired station is served by a wired telecommunications network and the mobile station is served by a wireless telecommunications network. In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the call is routed to a network interface point of control from either the wired or wireless networks and the network interface becomes the point of control for die call. The call is initially offered to me mobile station by me network interface, and before the mobile station is rung, me call is offered to me wired station so diat the wired and mobile stations ring concurrently.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing features and other aspects of the invention are explained in the following description taken in connection wim the accompanying drawings wherein: FIG. 1 is a schematic illustrating traditional call forwarding from a wired telecommunication network when a call to a subscriber's wired station goes unanswered to a wireless telecommunication network for ringing die subscriber's wireless station; FIG. 2 is a schematic illustrating a telecommunications system capable of concurrently ringing a subscriber's wired station and wireless station according to the present invention; FIGS. 3-6 are schematics illustrating me operation of me system illustrated in FIG. 2; and FIGS. 7-10 are flow diagrams of an advantageous method of operation of the system illustrated in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A telecommunications system for concurrently ringing a subscriber's wired station 150 and wireless station 170 and/or 175 according to die present invention is illustrated in FIG. 2. It is understood ύiat the service provider for me wired and wireless networks need not be the same entity and, furthermore, that dieir respective switches and databases need not share common intelligence and/or data, ttiat is, they need not "know" about one another. A wired telecommunications network 110, such as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), generally comprises a plurality of conventional switches that are interconnected to enable originating station 120 from which a call is placed to communicate with other stations within or outside PSTN 110. The originating station 120 illustrated in FIG. 2 may be a conventional 7/50234 PC17US97/09497

5 telephone or any otiier communication device connected to PSTN 110. A wireless telecommunications network 130, such as die Public Cellular Network, generally comprises a plurality of Mobile Switching Centers (MSC) 135 (also known as Mobile Telephone Switching Offices (MTSO)) ύiat are connected to one another (directly or via PSTN 110). MSC 135 is in communication with and operates to process calls (e.g., switching, handing off, terminating, originating, signalling, etc.) involving at least one mobile station 170. The mobile station 170 may be a conventional mobile cellular telephone or anomer type of wireless communication device. Although the wireless telecommunications network 130 need not be limited to cellular networks, conventional cellular technology may be utilized to allow the same frequencies of a common allocated radio bandwidth to be reused in separated local areas or cells of a broader region. Each cell is served by a base transceiver station 136 comprising a group of local transceivers connected to a common antenna. The base stations 136, each typically comprising a controller and one or more transceiver stations, are interconnected via MSC 135 (which is also connected to PSTN 110). The base station 136 and mobile station 170 communicate via radio connections and die base station 136 is also connected via trunks to carry die voice or data, and control messages between mobile station 170 and MSC 135. The wireless telecommunication network 130 typically comprises many units that need to communicate signalling information for controlling connections, which signalling information may include call establishment, reestablishment (hand off), disestablishment (tear down) and maintenance (power control and other processes). Such signalling information is typically communicated over channels separate from die channels carrying actual voice or data communications between the customers being connected. Among the units that need to communicate are the mobile station 170, die base station 136 connected by radio to the mobile station 170, MSC 135, and the various databases that are consulted for the establishment, maintenance and control of mobile calls (including the home location register (HLR), the visitor location register (VLR) and die aumentication center (AC)). The home location register (HLR) contains data for a mobile customer. The data stored in the HLR is me permanent data that is independent of die customer's present location, plus temporary data such as location-related data and the addresses of Service Centers diat have stored short messages for a mobile station. These addresses are erased after me short messages have been delivered. The HLR also indicates the Signalling System 7 (SS7) point code or other address for the network element diat contains die VLR currently associated with the mobile station. The VLR contains current data for each mobile customer, including diat customer's mobile station's present or most recendy known area, die station's on/off status, and security parameters. As illustrated in FIG. 2, MSC 135 is also connected to PSTN 110 to allow wireless stations 170 of wireless network 130 to communicate with wired stations of PSTN 110, such as telephone 120. While not illustrated, MSC 135 may also be connected to integrated services digital networks (ISDN) for communicating according to me protocols of ISDN . PSTN 110 is also independently connected to telecommunications switch 140. The switch 140 may be an end office associated wim PSTN 110, a PBX connected to PSTN 110, or a known equivalent thereof. Switch 140 is connected to a wired station 150 to allow wired station 150 to communicate with other wired stations (such as originating telephone 120) and/or with wireless stations 170 associated wim die wireless network 130. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 2, a network interface 160 is provided to facilitate concurrent ringing of a subscriber's wired station 150 and wireless mobile station 170 and/or 175. Preferably, the network interface 160 comprises an interface switch 161 (which is preferably digital) having basic switching functionality, a controller 165 for controlling interface switch 161, and a plurality of base station units 162 for communicating with mobile station 175. Interface switch 161 is connected to switch 140 and base station units 162, and interface switch 161 is also connected to wireless network 130 in a conventional manner (such as via ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) User Part (ISUP) trunks). As such, interface switch 161 is capable of providing switching of voice paύis between switch 140, base station units 162 and wireless network 130. Controller 165 of network interface 160 comprises a switch control 166 connected to and for controlling interface switch 161. Switch control 166 is programmed to determine how to offer/route, set-up or omerwise control calls through interface switch 161. The term "offer" as used herein is intended to mean standard call set-up procedures specific to me interfaces between network interface 160 and switch 140, MSC 135 and/or mobile station 175. Terms that are understood to be generally equivalent to "offering" include routing, delivering or sending a call from one point to anodier. However, the term "offer" is not intended to be limited to offering die call to only one network element, but includes offering die call to more dian one network element such as switch 140 and MSC 135. In addition, controller 165 of network interface 160 comprises a Subscriber Database (SDB) 167 diat functions to identify subscribers subscribing to the service and keeps track of which mobile stations 170, 175 belong to particular subscribers. SDB 167 stores and maintains records for each subscriber, such as die mobile identification number (MIN) for each subscriber's wireless mobile station 170 or 175 and called party identification (CPID) and/or route-to-extension for each subscriber's wired stations 150. The term "CPID" refers to me telephone number dialed by the calling party. The term "route-to-extension" is used herein to describe die telephone number or extension number associated with a subscriber's PBX station or PSTN station. Controller 165 of network interface 160 further comprises a Visitor Location Register (VLR) 168 diat maintains an entry for each user of wireless services widiin die particular coverage area of network interface 160. That is, VLR 168 contains records for mobile stations currently registered wim controller 165. VLR 168 may be similar in design to VLR's diat are commonly used in conventional cellular networks. While the information stored in VLR 168 may be varied, the following fields are typical of me information stored in VLR 168 for each new registration: • the user's MIN • me mobile electronic serial number (ESN) for the user's wireless station • whether the user is a private or public user • me Private System Identification (IS- 136 PSID) for private users only • die user zone • me associated PBX extension number for private users only • the user's authentication and encryption keys • me user's public voice mail indicator • the user's private or public voice messagmg system (VMS) • the user's public wireless network features (user profile) VLR 168 of controller 165 preferably communicates with wireless network 130 via conventional IS-41/SS7 (Signallmg System 7) signallmg through a conventional signal transfer pomt (STP) 180 If there is no entry m VLR 168 for a subscriber for an incoming call, then controller 165 will communicate with the broader wireless network to access another VLR where die mobile station 170 or 175 is registered The controller 165 will men deliver die call over standard trunk interfaces. FIGS. 3-6 illustrate me general operation of an advantageous embodunent of me present invention. In FIG. 3, the subscriber's published number dialed from originating station 120 corresponds to wired station 150 and terminates on switch 140 (which may be an end office, PBX or a known equivalent diereof). As will be discussed below in greater detail, switch 140 routes the call to network interface 160 without ringing wired station 150. Thereafter, network interface 160 acts as point of control for me call. After determining that die dialed number corresponds to a subscriber of die services and identifying the subscriber's MIN via SDB 167, network interface 160 offers/routes me call to MSC 135 in wireless network 130, which will conventionally page (via base station 136) and thereafter instruct mobile station 170 to ring. After a suitable delay T(CR1) corresponding to mobile station ring initiating time T, (discussed below), network interface 160 also offers/routes die call to switch 140 to ring wired station 150. Accordingly, wired station 150 and mobile station 170 ring concurrently until eidier station is answered. In FIG. 4, die subscriber's published number dialed from originating station 120 corresponds to die MIN associated witii mobile station 170 and terminates on MSC 135 in wireless network 130. Like die example illustrated in FIG. 3, die call is routed to network interface 160 to act as point of control for the call. MSC 135 routes die call to network interface 160 without ringing mobile station 170. After deterrnining diat the dialed MIN corresponds to a subscriber of the services and identifying die subscriber's CPID and/or route to extension via SDB 167, network interface 160 offers/routes die call to MSC 135 in wireless network 130, which conventionally pages (via base station 136) and diereafter insuncts mobile station 170 to ring. After a suitable delay T(CR1) corresponding to mobile station ring initiating time T, (discussed below), network interface 160 also offers/routes die call to switch 140 to ring wired station 150. Accordingly, wired station 150 and mobile station 170 ring concurrently until eidier station is answered. FIG. 5 illustrates anodier example of the operation of the present invention where die subscriber's dialed number (published number) from originating station 120 corresponds to wired station 150 and terrninates on switch 140 (which may be an end office, PBX or a known equivalent diereof). Unlike FIGS. 3 & 4, however, mobile station 175 in FIG. 5 is capable of communicating with base station unit 162 of network interface element 160 in a private domain wireless network controlled by network interface element 160. Here, die operation of die present invention is quite similar to diat described above with respect to FIG. 3. Switch 140 routes die call to network interface element 160 without ringing wired station 150 and network interface 160 acts as point of control for die call. After deteπnining mat die dialed number corresponds to a subscriber of die services and identifying die subscriber's MIN via SDB 167, network interface 160 pages (via base station unit 162) and diereafter instructs mobile station 175 to ring. After a suitable delay T(CR1) corresponding to mobile station ring initiating time Tj (discussed below), network interface 160 offers/routes the call to switch 140 to ring wired station 150. Accordingly, wired station 150 and mobile station 175 ring concurrendy until eidier station is answered. FIG. 6 illustrates an example of the operation of die present invention where die dialed number from originating station 120 terminates at die network interface element 160. Here, network interface element 160 acts as me point of control for die call and, after determining diat die dialed number corresponds to a subscriber of die services and identifying the subscriber's MIN and CPID (and route-to-extension) via SDB 167, network interface element 160 offers/routes die call to MSC 135 in wireless network 130, which pages (via base station 136) and thereafter instructs mobile station 170 to ring. After a suitable delay T(CR1) corresponding to mobile station ring initiating time T, (discussed below), network interface 160 also offers/routes die call to switch 140 to ring wired station 150. Accordingly, wired station 150 and mobile station 170 ring concurrently until either station is answered. With reference to FIGS. 3-6, it is understood diat die present invention is capable of concurrently ringing a subscriber's mobile station 170 and/or 175 and wired station 150 where die published number dialed terminates in an end office or PBX (or known equivalent) 140, MSC 135, or network interface 160. It is also understood ύiat wired station 150 may be part of the public domain PSTN 110 or a private domain PBX. It is further understood diat wireless mobile station 170 is capable of communicating with MSC 135 via base station 136 and diat wireless mobile station 175 is capable of communicating with base station unit 162 of die network interface element 160. The operation of an advantageous embodiment of die present invention is illusfrated in greater detail in FIGS. 7-10. Widi reference to FIGS. 7- 10, me top row of boxes illustrated in each of die figures represents die functional elements of an advantageous embodiment of the present invention. The vertical axis in FIGS. 7-10 represents time and die horizontal arrows in each figure represent communications between die functional elements. In die example illustrated in FIG. 7, network interface 160 offers/routes a call to both wired station 150 and eidier mobile station 170 or 175 so uiat both stations ring concurrently, and the mobile station 170 or 175 answers first. In this example, switch 140 is a PBX, wired station 150 is a telephone associated widi die PBX, and mobile station 170, 175 is a cellular telephone. It is understood, however, diat switch 140 could similarly be an end office (or a known equivalent diereof) associated widi PSTN 110 and wired station 150 could be a telephone capable of accessing PSTN 110. An incoming call from originating telephone 120 is routed dirough PSTN 110 and arrives at switch 140. Switch 140 is programmed to offer/route die call to interface switch 161 to permit network interface 160 to act as point of control of the call. Controller 165 of network interface 160 determines through SDB 167 whettier the call is for a subscriber of die service by comparing the dialed number (e.g., MIN, CPID, etc.) to numbers stored in SDB 167 corresponding to subscribers (Step a). If die dialed number does not correspond to a subscriber stored in SDB 167, uien network interface 160 effectively instructs switch 140 to process the call in a conventional manner by delivering die call back to switch 140 or taking other suitable action such as playing an announcement. However, if the dialed number matches that of a subscriber stored in SDB 167, dien controller 165 looks up and retrieves die MIN and/or route-to-extension for die particular subscriber stored in SDB 167. Network interface 160 utilizes die retrieved MIN for the particular subscriber to interact with VLR 168 to determine whedier die subscriber is registered in die applicable coverage area (Step b). As discussed above, controller 165 deteπnines through VLR 168 whedier die subscriber is registered in die applicable coverage area in a conventional manner. With reference to FIG. 7, if die subscriber is registered in the applicable coverage area and is dierefore present in VLR 168, dien network interface 160 pages mobile station 170 or 175, preferably in a manner compatible with die specifications provided in Telecommunications Industry Association TIA- EIA Interim Standard IS-136.1 rev. A and IS-136.2 rev. A, entitled "Dual-Mode Mobile Station Base Station Compatibility Standard" (IS-136), which is incorporated herein by reference (Step c). The page may be accomplished in die private cellular domain through base unit 162 or eventually in die public cellular domain dirough MSC 135 and base station 136. At uiis time, controller 165 of network interface 160 starts die following timers, which are preferably programmed into controller 165: • T(P1S) - expiration of which will denote a no page-response time-out. • T(CR1) - upon expiration of which network interface 160 will offer/route die call to switch 140 connected to wired station 150. • T(RB1S) - upon expiration of which network interface 160 will provide audible ringing to die calling party, such as at originating station 120. When mobile station 170 responds to the page from network interface 160 before die expiration of the T(P1S) timer, controller 165 cancels the T(P1S) timer, preferably causes mobile station 170 or 175 to become active on a Digital Traffic Channel (preferably in a manner compatible with the specifications provided in IS- 136), and instructs mobile station 170 or 175 to alert die subscriber by ringing mobile station 170 or 175 (Step d). A mobile station ring initiating time T, elapses between paging mobile station 170 or 175 and actually ringing mobile station 170 or 175 (Steps c-d). Mobile station ring initiating time T, is a delay diat is inherent in conventional wireless networks. At this point, controller 165 starts timer T(A1S), which is also preferably programmed into controller 165. The expiration of timer T(A1S) denotes an alerting time-out to ensure diat the mobile station 170 or 175 does not ring forever. Upon die expiration of timer T(RB1S), controller 165 instructs network interface 160 to provide an audible ringback to die calling party at station

120 (Step e). Upon die expiration of timer T(CR1), controller 165 instructs network interface 160 to offer/route the call to die switch 140, which switch 140 will dien alert die subscriber by ringing wired station 150 (Step f). Timer T(CR1) is set for a period of time estimated to be equivalent to mobile station ring initiating time T_j. The delay provided by timer T(CR1) in offering/routing die call to wired station 150, therefore, permits wired station 150 and mobile station 170 or 175 to ring concurrently by taking into account mobile station ring initiating time T,, which is inherent in conventional wireless networks. If the subscriber answers at mobile station 170 or 175, network interface 160 cancels timer T(A1S), propagates answer supervision toward die calling party at originating station 120, and invokes call release procedures on die outgoing leg of switch 140 to wired station 15ft (Step g). Finally, network interface 160 removes the audible ringback and establishes a voice padi between mobile station 170 or 175 and originating station 120 (Step h). When eidier party (calling party or subscriber) terminates die call by hanging up dieir respective station, all resources are released by die network interface 160.

In FIG. 8, the subscriber answers the wired station 150 radier dian die mobile station 170, 175. In tiϋs circumstance, steps a-f are identical to diat described above widi respect to FIG. 7. When the subscriber answers at wired station 150, then, upon receiving answer supervision on the outbound leg of switch 140 to wired station 150, network interface 160 terminates the audible ringback provided to die calling party, propagates answer supervision toward the inbound call leg of switch 140 (toward station 120), and cuts uirough a two-way voice path between die two call legs of switch 140 (Step g,). Thereafter, network interface 160 invokes call release procedures (preferably in a manner that is compatible wim die procedures outlined in IS- 136) to release die mobile station 170 or 175 leg of the call (Step h,). FIG. 9 illustrates die circumstance where network interface 160 does not receive a page-response from mobile station 170 or 175. In this circumstance, steps a-c are identical to that described above with respect to FIG. 7. If network interface 160 does not receive a page-response from mobile station 170 or 175, network interface 160 times out on a page-response timer T(P1S) from mobile station 170, 175 and abandons die call delivery attempt to mobile station 170, 175. That is, upon die expiration of timer T(P1S), network interface 160 cancels die page and otiier call delivery procedures to mobile station 170, 175, cancels all outstanding timers, and offers die call to switch 140, which in turn alerts wired station 150 (Step d,). At this point, network interface 160 cuts uirough die voice padi between die mcorning leg (from station 120) and outgoing leg (to station 150) of switch 140 (Step e,) and, diereafter, preferably receives answer supervision from switch 140 (which is propagated back to die calling party) (Step f,). Widi reference to FIG. 10, should network element 160 not receive a answer indication from mobde station 170 or 175 or wired station 150 wiuiin a specified period after alerting mobile station 170 or 175, then network element 160 times out on mobile station 170 or 175. In this circumstance, steps a-f are identical to diat described above widi respect to FIGS. 7 and 8. However, upon die expiration of timer T(A1S), network element 160 invokes call release procedures (preferably in a manner that is compatible with the procedures outlined in IS- 136) to release die mobile station 170, 175 leg of die call (Step h₂). In addition, upon receiving answer supervision on die outbound leg of switch 140 to wired station 150, network interface 160 terminates the audible ringback provided to the calling party, propagates answer supervision toward the inbound call leg of switch 140 (toward station 120), and cuts through a two-way voice paύi between the two call

legs of switch 140 (Step g₂) . While the timers T(P1S), T(CR1), TfRBIS) and T(A1S) are intended to be adjustable depending upon die particular application provided by die service provider, Table I below enumerates a preferred default setting for each of die above-mentioned timers:

TABLE I

Although an illustrative and advantageous embodiment has been described herein in detail, it should be noted and will be appreciated by those skilled m the art that numerous variations may be made widiin the scope of tins invention widiout departing from die principle of tins mvention and widiout sacrificing its chief advantages. For example, it is understood mat the present mvention may also be utilized in a smgle telecommunications network to concurrentiy ring multiple stations within diat network. It is also understood diat die present invention may be utilized to concurrently ring a plurality of wired stations served by one or more wired telecommunications networks or to concurrently ring a plurality of mobile stations served by one or more wireless telecommunications networks. It is further understood diat die present invention is not limited to ringing two stations concurrently as described above, but diat die invention may be utilized to ring more tiian two stations concurrently. As such, die terms and expressions have been used herein as terms of description and not terms of limitation. There is no intention to use the terms or expressions to exclude any equivalents of features shown and described or portions tiiereof and tiiis invention should be defined in accordance widi die claims which follow.

Claims

CLAIMS We claim:

1. A metiiod of routing a telephone call from a calling party to a called party's first station and to die called party's second station so diat die first station and die second station ring concurrently, die first station having a first set-up time and the second station having a second set-up time diat is longer tiian die first set-up time, die metiiod comprising die steps of: (a) routing die call to a network interface point of control; (b) offering die call to die second station having a longer set-up time; and (c) offering die call to die first station after offering die call to die second station, but prior to ringing die second station, such that die called party's first and second stations ring concurrently.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein die first station is a wired station served by a wired telecommunications network and the second station is a mobile station served by a wireless telecommunications network.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of deteπnining whether die called party subscribes to die service offered by die network provider.

4. The metiiod accordmg to claim 3, wherein die determining step comprises die steps of: (a) receiving a number dialed by the calling party to initiate the call to die called party; (b) comparing die dialed number to a list of numbers corresponding to subscribers subscribing to the service offered by the network provider; and (c) identifying the called party as a subscriber when the dialed number matches a subscriber's number stored in die list.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein die mobile station is a cellular telephone and die wireless telecommunications network is a public cellular network.

6. The metiiod according to claim 2, wherein die mobile station is a cellular telephone and die wireless telecommunications network is a private cellular network.

7. The metiiod according to claim 2, further comprising the step of releasing the call from the wired telecommunications network when the mobile station is answered before die wired station.

8. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of releasing die call from die wireless telecommunications network when the wired station is answered before the mobile station.

9. A telecommunications system for concurrently ringing a called party's wired station and die called party's mobile station for a call associated with a number dialed by a calling party, the wired station being served by a wired telecommunications network and die mobile station being served by a wireless telecommunications network, comprising: a network interface point of control connected to die wired and wireless telecommunications networks for receiving a call placed to die called party, wherein die network interface point of control delays offering die call to the wired station until after the call has been offered to die mobile station, but before ringing the mobile station so mat die wireless and mobile stations ring concurrently.

10. The telecommunications system according to claim 9, wherein the network interface point of control comprises: (a) an interface switch for switching voice patiis between die wired telecommunications network and die wireless telecommunications network; and (b) a controller for controlling die interface switch.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein die network interface point of control concurrently rings the called party's wired and mobϋe stations only when the called party subscribes to a service offered by a provider of the wired or wireless telecommunications networks.

12. The telecommunications system according to claim 11, wherein the conttoller comprises a database containing information corresponding to subscribers subscribing to the service offered by the network provider.

13. The telecommunications system according to claim 10, wherein die controller comprises a programmable switch control operatively connected to interface switch, said switch control being programmed to control calls through the interface switch.

14. The telecommunications system according to claim 9, wherein the mobile station is a cellular telephone and die wireless telecommunications network is a public cellular network.

15. The telecommunications system according to claim 9, wherein die mobile station is a cellular telephone and die wireless telecommunications network is a private cellular network.

16. The telecommunications system according to claim 9, wherein die network interface point of conttol releases die call from die wired telecommunications network when die mobile station is answered before die wired station.

17. The telecommunications system according to claim 9, wherein the network interface point of control releases die call from die wireless telecommunications network when die wired station is answered before the mobile station.

18. The telecommunications system according to claim 10, wherein the controller further comprises a visitor location register that maintains an entry for each user of wireless services within a particular coverage area of die network interface point of control.

19. The telecommunications system according to claim 10, wherein die network interface point of control further comprises a base station unit for communicating widi the mobile station, the base station unit communicatively connected to die interface switch so diat a voice patii may be established between die base station, die wired telecommunications network and die wireless telecommunications network.

20. A method of operating a network interface point of control for concurrently ringing a called party's wired and mobile stations, die wired station being served by a wired telecommunications network and die mobile station being served by a wireless telecommunications network, comprising die steps of: (a) receiving the call so diat die network interface point of control functions as point of control for tiie call; (b) offering die call to die mobile station; and (c) offering die call to die wired station after offering the call to the mobile station, but prior to ringing the mobile station, such mat the called party's wired and mobile stations ring concurrentiy.

21. The metiiod according to claim 20, further comprising die step of deteiπiining whether die called party subscribes to die service offered by die network provider.

22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein die determining step comprises the steps of: (a) receiving a number dialed by a calling party to initiate the call to tiie called party; (b) comparing die dialed number to a list of numbers corresponding to subscribers subscribing to die service offered by die network provider; and (c) identifying die called party as a subscriber when die dialed number matches a subscriber's number stored in the list.

23. The metiiod according to claim 20, wherein the mobile station is a cellular telephone and die wireless telecommunications network is a public cellular network.

24. The method according to claim 20, wherein die mobile station is a cellular telephone and tiie^'wireless telecommunications network is a private cellular network.

25. The method according to claim 20, further comprising die step of releasing the call from the wired telecommunications network when the mobile station is answered before die wired station.

26. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of releasing die call from die wireless telecommunications network when the wired station is answered before the mobile station.

27. A network interface point of control for concurrently ringing a called party's wired and mobile stations, the wired station being served by a wired telecommunications network and die mobile station being served by a wireless telecommunications network, comprising: (a) an interface switch for providing switching of voice patiis between the wired telecommunications network and die wireless telecommunications network; and (b) a controller for controlling the interface switch to delay offering die call to die wired station until after the call has been offered to the mobile station, but before ringing die mobile station so diat die wireless and mobile stations ring concurrently.

28. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein die controller comprises a database containing information corresponding to subscribers subscribing to a service offered by a provider of die wired or wireless telecommunication networks, die network interface point of control identifying whedier the called party is a subscriber by comparing die dialed number to die information stored in die controller database, and die network interface point of control concurrently ringing the called party's wired and mobile stations only when the called party is identified as a subscriber.

29. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein die controller comprises a switch control connected to die interface switch to control calls tiirough the interface switch.

30. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein die wired station is a telephone and die mobile station is a cellular telephone.

31. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein die network interface point of control establishes a voice patii between die mobile station and calling party and releases the call from the wired telecommunications network when die mobile station is answered before the wired station.

32. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the network interface point of control establishes a voice path between the wired station and a calling party and releases the call from die wireless telecommunications network when the wired station is answered before the mobile station.

33. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein die controller further comprises a visitor location register that maintains an entry for each user of wireless services within a particular coverage area of the network interface point of control.

34. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the network interface point of conttol further comprises a base station unit for communicating widi die mobile station, die base station unit communicatively connected to die interface switch so that a voice path may be established between die base station, the wired telecommunications network and die wireless telecommunications network.