MXPA97007738A - System and method for providing access depriority and channel allocation in a celu detelecommunication system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for providing a mobile telephone user with priority access in a cellular telecommunications network having a plurality of subscribers, and assigning a channel to the user on a priority basis, when there is channel congestion in the network, the system comprising: a means for determining a priority level for the user and each of the plurality of subscribers, including the means for determining a priority level: a means for determining whether the user and each of the plurality of subscribers was designated as a subscriber priority access user was designated as a priority access and channel allocation user, a first prioritization parameter associated with the user and each of the plurality of subscribers, indicating the first parameter of prioritization if the user and each of the plurality of subscribers have activated a particularity of priority access and channel assignment and a second prioritization parameter associated with the user and each of the plurality of subscribers, the second prioritization parameter indicating a relative priority level for the user and each one of the subscribers that have activated the particularity of priority access and channel allocation, a means for determining a level of channel congestion, a means for reserving a group of channels, a means for placing call waiting requests of the user and the plurality of subscribers on the waiting list, and a means for assigning selectively a channel reserved to the user, or place in a queue a call request from the user, with call requests from the plurality of subscribers, while waiting for an available channel

Description

"SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING PRIORITY ACCESS AND CHANNEL ALLOCATION IN A TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM CELL PHONE" BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Technical Field of the Invention This invention relates to channel assignments in cellular telephone networks and, more particularly, to a system and method for providing priority access and channel allocation (PACA) to designated subscribers.

Description of Related Art The coverage area of a typical cell phone network disintegrates into individual cells. In highly populated metropolitan areas or in times of crisis, congestion occurs in these cells. Even in times of congestion, however, there is a need for some callers, such as emergency service providers, to have priority for channel access and allocation. An existing prioritization implementation permanently assigns users of designated priority, to which reference will be made below as "PACA users", a group of channels reserved for the sole use of PACA users. These channels are always reserved, regardless of whether the channels are currently needed or not by PACA users. These reserved channels are used either for calls to, or calls from, PACA users. Reserved channels are also available for delivery when a PACA user moves from one cell to another. The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) is currently developing an end user interface standard known as ?? - 53 ?. The proposed IS-53A standard does not require a group of reserved channels, but rather allocates channels available to users based on the predetermined prioritization project. The rule specifies that requests for conversation channels or traffic through PACA users be placed in waiting lines on a priority basis and first arrive, first to be attended. In this way, as a channel becomes available, it is assigned to the first requesting user who has the highest priority level. The proposed IS-53A standard is incorporated herein by reference thereto.

There are several inconveniences with the approach as indicated in the proposed IS-53A standard. First, the queuing approach is not supported by the current air interface. Under the rule, if a mobile subscriber tries to make a call when the networks are congested, it is placed in a waiting queue to wait for an available conversation channel. However, without a conversation channel available, there is no way for the telecommunication system to notify the subscriber that he is in a queue and that his call will be processed when a channel is available. The subscriber has no way of knowing if he is waiting for a conversation channel or if he has lost his transmission connection. In addition, the standard is only applicable for initiation calls, and does not solve the problem of call termination or prioritization in delivery situations. U.S. Patent No. 5,226,071 issued to Bolliger et al. (Bolliger) discloses a wireless telecommunications system wherein the resources of the call path are assigned in an orderly fashion by queuing in call waiting queues for example during non-availability channel, designating channels to call requests placed in waiting lines as channels become available. Bolliger, in essence, is a patent in the Waiting-line placement approach of the proposed IS-53A standard. A plurality of wait rows are provided for different locations within the service area so that as the mobile station moves, its call request is placed in sequence in different waiting rows. Bolliger states that it is usable to place both incoming and outgoing calls in waiting lines, however, there is no discussion of how this system for incoming calls would be implemented, and it is not evident that there is any advantage for a mobile station to be placed in a queue for incoming calls. Since Bolliger is limited to a system based solely on waiting lines, it suffers from the same disadvantages as the proposed IS-53A standard described above. For example, Bolliger does not provide any method to inform a subscriber that is placed in a queue. Also, even when Bolliger discusses removing a call request from a queue and placing the request in a second queue when a mobile station waiting for a conversation channel moves from one cell to another, Bolliger can not be used to the delivery of an active call, since the call would have to be interrupted and placed in a queue when a mobile station has moved from one cell to another. The review of each of the aforementioned references reveals that there is no disclosure or suggestion of a system or method such as the one described and claimed herein. It would be a distinct advantage if there were a system that is capable of using a group of reserved channels or a combination of reserved channels and placed in a queue to provide priority access to PACA users, whether the PACA user is involved in a call origin, call termination, or delivery situation. This system would enable a service provider to designate whether to use a group of reserved channels, a queuing technique, or a combination of the two to provide priority access to PACA users. The present invention provides this system.

COMPENDIUM OF THE INVENTION The present invention allows PACA users, who have subscribed to a priority service, to have access to conversation or traffic channels even when there is congestion in these channels. The present invention can either use a reserved group of PACA channels or use a queuing technique to process call requests during periods of congestion. The invention provides priority to designated priority users for call origin, call termination and for delivery to congested cells. When the network is not congested, any channel is available for use by any user, whether a user of designated priority or not. During periods of congestion, the service provider may designate whether the system reserves a group of channels for the exclusive use of designated PACA users. The service provider may also designate the use of a queuing technique that allocates channels in accordance with the user's priority level and the arrival time of the call request. PACA users with the highest priority level are assigned first of a channel. PACA users within each priority level are assigned from a channel on a first-come-first-served basis. The present invention improves the availability of channels to cell phone users and can be used to ensure priority service to emergency services such as police forces.

Thus, in one aspect of the present invention is a system for providing a mobile telephone user with priority access to a cellular telecommunications network having a plurality of subscribers, and assigning channels to the user on a priority basis when there is congestion of channels in the network. The system comprises a means for determining a priority level for the user and the plurality of subscribers, a means for determining a level of channel congestion, a means for reserving a group of channels, a means for placing requests in waiting lines. of call from the user and the plurality of subscribers, and means for selectively allocating a reserved channel to the user, or queuing a call request from the user with call requests from the plurality of subscribers, while waiting for a call channel available. In another aspect, the present invention is a method for providing a mobile telephone user with priority access to a cellular telecommunications network having a plurality of subscribers, to assign a channel to the user on a priority basis when there is congestion of channels in the network. The method begins by determining a priority level for the user, and each of the plurality of subscribers. Then, a level of channel congestion is determined and the provider is serviced designates whether a reserved group of channels should be used, a queuing technique, or both. If they are both, the precedence technique will be designated. If a group of channels is used, the group of channels is reserved. Then, the call requests of the user in the plurality of subscribers are placed in a waiting queue. Finally, the method includes selectively assigning a reserved channel to the user, or queuing a call request from the user with all call requests from the plurality of subscribers, while waiting for an available channel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be better understood and its numerous objects and advantages will become more apparent to those skilled in the art with reference to the following drawings, together with the accompanying specification, wherein: Figure 1 is a message flow diagram which illustrates the messages sent and received during the termination of the call, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a message flow diagram illustrating the messages sent and received during the delivery without minimization of the trajectory while maintaining or preparing a PACA-oriented activation in the preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a message flow diagram illustrating the messages sent and received during delivery with the trajectory minimization while a PACA-oriented activation is maintained or prepared in the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and Figures 4A and 4B are a flow diagram illustrating the steps carried out by the present invention, when a user originates a PACA call during a period of channel congestion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE MODALITIES In one embodiment of the present invention, any of the channels in a cellular telephone network are available to any user during periods of a non-congested operation. In case of congestion, when a PACA user receives a call or is delivered to another cell, the cellular system provides precedence to this subscriber by comparing the priority level of the PACA user with non-PACA users and other PACA users. since there are multiple levels of precedence. The priority is evaluated, and the channel assignment is carried out, using one of the following two methods or their combination: 1. A group of channels is reserved and assigned only for the use of PACA users. The channel group is further subdivided by the priority level of PACA, and access is provided to it according to a PACA Information_add parameter associated with the PACA user; and / or 2. A queuing training mechanism is implemented to prevent the reservation of a group of channels in the absence of congestion. The group of channels can be used by both PACA users and non-PACA users in the same way. If the need arises (that is, if there is congestion), the group of channels is assigned, by priority to PACA users. Requests for queuing for channels can be arbitrated using one or a combination of the following PACA_Info message parameters. A. The PACA Activation_ Information is made known if a PACA prioritization feature is made active or not by a specific user; and / or B. A Priority Level_of PACA that gives know the priority level of a specific PACA user in relation to other PACA users, within a valid scale of priority values. As an example, the queuing mechanism of the present invention can be implemented with priorities ranging from a priority lower than zero (0) to a higher priority of seven (7). Therefore, a subscriber who is assigned a priority level of three (3) can, during the origin of a call, acquire priority in relation to all PACA users who have priority levels of 0 to 2, and through of its PACA users who have a priority level of 3 who were subsequently placed in the queue. Any communication protocol may be used within the scope and intent of the present invention. The preferred embodiment described herein uses the communications protocol most commonly used in the cellular industry, IS-41, which is incorporated herein by reference thereto. The present invention does not require new messages that are added to the IS-41 communications protocol. A new parameter, the Information_ of PACA, is added to IS-1.

The present invention relates primarily to the use of PACA information for call termination and for delivery of mobile stations operated by PACA users. The delivery can be inside or outside the minimization of the trajectory. Figure 1 is a message flow diagram illustrating the messages sent and received during the termination of the call in the exemplary preferred embodiment of the present invention. As mentioned above, the preferred embodiment uses the IS-41 communication protocol, although other communication protocols could also be used. First, a call record 10 and the dialed mobile address numbers (i.e., directory number) 11 of the called mobile station are received from the public switched telephone network (PSTN) 12 in an originating MSC 13 using telephone protocols such as Integrated Services User Part (ISUP), registration signals. A parameter 14 of PACA_info in relation to the calling party may also be included. Then, the originating MSC 13 sends a "location request (LOCRFEQ) (invoke)" message 15 to a home location register 16 (HLR) associated with the called mobile station, using the protocols defined by the interconnection standard IS-41. The association of HLR 16 with the mobile station that It has been called, it is done through a number 11 of the directory. Then, if the directory number is assigned to a legitimate subscriber, and if an unconditional send call is not in effect, the HLR 16 sends a message "routing request (ROUTREQ) (invoke)" to a location record. Visitor (VLR) 18 that provided the latter with a registration notification (REGNOT) for the mobile station that has been called. The VLR 18 then sends the message ROUTREQ (invoke) in 19 to an MSC 21 which currently serves, where the mobile station can be found. The message sent from ROUTREQ (invoke) may include the parameters of PACA_info in both the calling party and the mobile station to which it has been called. In the reaction to the ROUTREQ message (invoke), the servicing MSC 21 queries its internal data structures to determine whether the called mobile station is already engaged in a call within the servicing MSC. In the first scenario, the mobile station is idle and has not yet registered with the serving MSC 21. Therefore, the serving station is still not known to the mobile station. The serving MSC 21 then sends a profile request message 22 (PROFREQ) to the service VLR 18 to obtain the service profile 23 of the subscriber associated with the mobile station that It has been called. The subscriber's service profile 23 is returned to the serving MSC 21 and includes wrong PACA information. In a second scenario, the service MSC 21 obtains the service profile 23 of the mobile subscriber before the termination attempt (v.gr, during a previous time when the mobile station was first registered). Therefore, the steps of obtaining the service profile of the VLR 18 and determining the PACA information can be eliminated. The service MSC then assigns a temporary local directory number (TLDN) to the mobile station that has been called and returns this information to VLR 18 in a message 24 ROUTREQ (of response). The VLR sends the ROUTREQ message (of response) with the TLDN at 25 to the HLR 16. When the ROUTREQ message (of response) the TLDN is received by the HLR, the HLR constructs a location request message 26 (LOCREQ) (from answer) by adding a mobile identification number (MIN) and an electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile station that has been called to the TLDN provided by the service MSC 21. The HLR 16 then returns to the message 26 LOCREQ (of response) to the MSC 13 of origin. The originating MSC 13 establishes a voice path to the serving MSC 21 using existing interconnection protocols (e.g., SS-7) and the TLDN specified in message 26 LOCREQ (response). At this point, the channel assignment is carried out using the methods described above. An alternative method for establishing a call priority may be used in the case where the calling party has the PACA information as well as the mobile station that has been called. In this case, the present invention can extend the PACA information of the calling party to the party that has been called. For example, if the calling party has a PACA priority level greater than the party that has been called, the calling party's information can counteract the information of the party that has been called to ensure the delivery of the call according to the highest priority. To achieve this, the PACA_Info_ parameter 14 related to the calling party is passed in the message LOCREQ and the message 17 and 19 ROUTREQ, and is compared with the PACA_Info parameter of the part that has been called in. the channel assignment. If the termination is carried out in accordance with the establishment of the pre-routing call, then the channel assignment is carried out when the service MSC 21 allocates the TLDN using the methods described above.

Figure 2 illustrates the messages sent and received during delivery without reduction to the minimum trajectory while maintaining or preparing an activation oriented towards PACA. The term "path minimization" is used herein to refer to a method by which a call from an originating MSC is not satisfactory to arrive at a mobile station that has been called at a second MSC, and which is sent to a third MSC, it is routed back to the originating MSC before being sent to the third or subsequent MSCs. In the delivery situation of Figure 2, a mobile station 31 (MS) associated with a PACA user moves from the service area of a mobile switching center (MSC) 32 which currently serves the service area. service of a MSC 33 of white neighbor. The PACA user is given priority. In this scenario, a call is being made at 34 when the currently serving system requires the neighbor target system to perform measurements on the signal of the mobile station. A message "request for delivery (invocation) measurement" is sent from the service MSC 32 to the target MSC 33. If white MSC 33 returns a message 36 of "a delivery measurement request (results)" to the service MSC 32. The service MSC then sends a message 37 of "address of (invoking) facilities "to the target MSC 33. The facility address message (invoking) contains a PACA_Info_38 parameter which includes the prioritization infotion in the mobile station 31. The target MSC 33 then assesses whether a channel can be retained for the mobile station using the techniques described in relation to Figure 1. If it has retained a channel, the white MSC 33 returns a "facility address (positive response)" message 39 to the MSC 32 The white MSC 33 then confirms that the mobile station 31 is now being served by the target MSC by sending a message "mobile in channel (invocation)" to the old service MSC 32. In the case of a delivery to a system that can not accommodate the request due to non-availability of the channel (ie, congestion), the target system can check that there is a channel available from a reserved group or the system response a of white to the address 38 message of input (invocation) facilities. It is delayed until a request for placement in a queue is processed. The delay is terminated by system parameters to prevent the system delivery process. Figure 3 illustrates the steps that occur during delivery with minimization of trajectory while that maintains or prepares an activation oriented towards PACA. In this scenario, a call from the mobile station 41 is being carried out at 42 when the serving MSC 43 acts or requires a neighbor white MSC 44 to perform the measurements on the mobile station signal. A delivery measurement request (invocation) message 45 is sent from the service MSC 43 to the target MSC 44. The target MSC returns a delivery measurement request message (results) 46 to the service MSC 43. The service MSC then sends a "handover to the third (invocation)" message 47 to an MSC 48 of the anchoring system instructing the anchor system MSC 48 to perform a "handover to third party" (invocation) procedure. ) ". The anchor system MSC then sends a facility address message (invocation) 49 of the white MSC 44. The anchor system MSC 48 propagates the facility address message 49 (of invocation) with a PACA_Info parameter 51 which includes the PACA_Priority_ Level requested by the calling party at the origin of the call. The white MSC 44 then assesses that a channel can be retained for the mobile station 41 using the techniques described in relation to Figure 1. If a channel can be retained, the white MSC 44 returns a Facility management message 52 (positive response) to the MSC 48 of the anchoring system. In the case of a delivery to a system that can not accommodate the request due to channel unavailability (ie, congestion), the target system can check that there is a channel available from a reserved group or the target system response the facility address message 49 (invocation) is delayed until the request placed on the waiting queue is processed. The delay is terminated by the system parameters to prevent the system delivery process. Then, the MSC 48 of the anchor system sends a 53"third party (response)" message to the service MSC 43 to assess whether the delivery has been accepted by the target MSC 44. If the delivery has been accepted by the blank MSC 44, the blank MSC confirms that the mobile station 41 has now been served by sending a message 54 (channel on call (of invocation) to the MSC 48 of the anchor system. The white MSC 44 then requests that the service MSC 43 release the resources used for the mobile station 41 by sending a "release (invoking) facilities" message 55 of the service MSC.The service MSC then confirms the release of the service. resources by returning a "facility release (response)" message 56 to the target MSC.

Figures 4A and 4B are a flow chart illustrating the steps carried out by the system of the present invention when a user originates a PACA call during a period of channel congestion. The system begins in Figure 4A in step 61 where a user (i.e., a mobile subscriber) originates a PACA call. In step 62, the system determines whether or not the telecommunications network is experiencing channel congestion. If not, the system moves to step 63 and a channel is assigned to the user, and then continues with the processing of the call in step 64. However, if in step 62 it is determined that there is channel congestion in the network , then the system moves to step 65 where the service provider has designated the first technique to be tested, in order to obtain a channel for the user, in case of channel congestion. If the service provider has designated that the system first have access to a reserved group of channels, then the system moves to step 66 where it is determined whether or not a reserved channel is available. If a reserved channel is available, the system moves to step 67 where the user is assigned a reserved channel, and then moves to step 68 and continues with call processing.

However, if in step 66 it is determined that a reserved channel is not available, then the system moves to step 69 where it is determined whether or not the service provider has designated the use of the waiting list technique when there are no available reserved channels. If the service provider has not designated the queuing technique to be used, then the system denies access to the user in step 70. If the designated service provider used in the queuing technique , then the system moves to step 71. If in step 65, the service provider has designated that the first technique to be tested in order to assign a channel to the user is the queuing technique, then the The system moves directly to step 71. In step 71, the user's call request is placed in a priority order with call requests from other subscribers according to the PACA priority level of the user and another subscriber and the arrival time of each call request within each priority level. The user can in advance appropriate the rights of other mobile subscribers in the queue if the user has a higher priority. On the other hand, the waiting queue is finite in size, therefore the waiting queue can be full of subscribers. higher priority, and the user's call request will not be placed in the queue. In step 72, the system determines whether the user's call request is adjusted in the queue based on the size of the predefined queue. If not, the system moves to step 73 where it is determined whether or not the service provider has designated to use the reserved channel group technique when the user is not placed in the queue. If the service provider has not designated the reserved channel group technique to be used, then the system moves to step 70 where the user is denied access. If the service provider has designated to use the reserved channel group technique, then the system moves to step 66 and that technique is started. If it is determined in step 72 that the user's call request has been placed in the waiting queue, then the system moves to step 74 in Figure 4B. In step 74, the system determines whether a channel is available or not. If it is not, the call request of the user remains in the queue and the system can optionally alert the user with, for example, a distinctive call implying that the user's call is being processed, but the The user's request is currently in a waiting line waiting for an available channel. The user can be updated through any air interface standard such as example IS-136 for multiple time division access systems (TDMA), EIA / TIA-553 for analog mobile phone systems (AMPS), or IS-54C for digital mobile phone systems (D-AMPS). The system then returns to step 74 and continues to check for available channels. If there is a channel available then the system moves to step 76 where it is determined whether or not the user is the highest priority subscriber with a call request in the queue and therefore is the next to receive an available channel . If not, the system moves to step 77 where the channel is assigned to the subscriber who is in the queue at the highest PACA priority level and the previous arrival time within the highest priority level in the queue. The system may optionally update the user in step 78 of whether a channel has been assigned to another subscriber. The system then returns to step 74 and continues checking to determine if there are available channels. However, in step 76 it is determined that the user is the highest priority user with a call request in the queue, then the available channel is assigned to the user in step 79. In step 80, the system continues with the processing of the call.

At any time when the user's call request is in the waiting queue, and the user decides to cancel the PACA call, the call request is removed from the waiting queue and the user becomes aware that the call has been made. Canceled the call attempt. Therefore, it is believed that the operation and construction of the present invention will be apparent from the foregoing description. Although the method, apparatus and system that has been shown and described has been characterized as being preferred, it will be readily apparent that various changes and modifications could be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in following claims.

Claims (19)

CLAIMS:

1. A system for providing a mobile telephone user with priority access to a cellular telecommunications network having a plurality of subscribers, and assigning a channel to the user on a priority basis where there is congestion of channels in the network, the system comprises: a means for determining a priority level for the user and each of the plurality of subscribers; a means to determine a level of channel congestion; a means to reserve a group of channels; means for placing the call requests from the user and the plurality of subscribers on the waiting list; and means for selectively allocating a reserved channel to the user, or queuing a call request from the user with call requests from the plurality of subscribers, while an available channel is available.

The system according to claim 1, wherein the means for determining a priority level for the user and the priority of subscribers includes a means to determine whether the user and each of the plurality of subscribers has been designated as a Priority Access and Channel Allocation (PACA) user.

The system according to claim 2, wherein the means for determining a priority level for the user and the plurality of subscribers includes: a first prioritization parameter associated with the user and each of the plurality of subscribers, the first prioritization parameter indicating that the user and each of the plurality of subscribers has activated a particularity of channel allocation priority access; and a second prioritization parameter associated with the user and each of the plurality of subscribers, the second prioritization parameter indicating a relative priority level for the user and each of the subscribers which has activated the particularity of priority access and channel assignment.

The system according to claim 3, wherein the means for reserving a group of channels includes a means for reserving the group of channels only for use by the subscribers that have activated the particularity of priority access and channel assignment. - twenty-one -

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the means for queuing the call requests from the user and the plurality of subscribers includes a means for allowing any channel in the network to be assigned to the user and any of the plurality of subscribers, preventing the reservation of the group of channels.

The system according to claim 5, wherein the means for selectively allocating a reserved channel to the user, or queuing the user's call request with call requests from others of the plurality of subscribers, includes a means for a service provider to designate whether the technique of reserved groups of channels or queuing should be used.

The system according to claim 6, wherein the means for queuing the user's call requests and the plurality of subscribers includes a means for queuing the user's call requests and each one of the plurality of subscribers that has activated the particularity of channel assignment priority access during a period of channel congestion to wait for an available channel. - 28 -

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the means for queuing the user's call requests and the plurality of subscribers that have activated the particularity of channel assignment priority access during periods of congestion include a means to assign a channel available first to the subscriber with the highest priority among those waiting for an available channel.

The system according to claim 8, wherein the means for queuing the user's call requests and the plurality of subscribers that have triggered the particularity of channel assignment priority access during periods of congestion includes a means to assign available channels to subscribers in equivalent priority on a first-come-first-served basis, the first to be attended.

10. A method for providing a mobile telephone user with priority access to a cellular telecommunications network having a plurality of subscribers and assigning a channel to the user on a priority basis when there is congestion of channels in the network, the method comprising the steps of: determining a level of priority for the user and each of the plurality of subscribers; . - 29 - determine a level of channel congestion; reserve a group of channels; queuing the call requests from the user and the plurality of subscribers; and selectively allocating a reserved channel to the user, or queuing a call request from the user with call requests from the plurality of subscribers, while waiting for an available channel.

The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of determining a priority level for the user and the plurality of subscribers includes determining whether the user and each of the plurality of subscribers is designated as an access user of channel allocation plurality (PACA).

The system according to claim 11, wherein the step of determining a priority level for the user and the plurality of subscribers includes the steps of: associating a primer prioritization parameter with the user and each of the plurality of subscribers, the first prioritization parameter indicates that the user and each of the plurality of subscribers has activated a particularity of channel assignment priority access; Y Associating a second prioritization parameter with the user and each of the plurality of subscribers, the second prioritization parameter indicates a relative priority level for the user and each one of the subscribers that has activated the particularity of priority access and assignment of channel.

The method according to claim 12, wherein the step of reserving a group of channels includes reserving the group of channels only for the use of the subscribers that have activated the particularity of priority access and channel assignment.

The method according to claim 13, wherein step of queuing the user's call requests and the plurality of subscribers includes training any channel in the network to be assigned to the user and any of the plurality of subscribers preventing the reservation of the group of channels.

The method according to claim 14, wherein the step of selectively allocating a reserved channel to the user or queuing a user's call request on call requests of others of the plurality of subscribers and includes training a provider services designate whether or not to use a reserved group of channels or a queuing technique.

The method according to claim 15, wherein the step of queuing the user's call requests and the plurality of subscribers includes queuing the user's call requests and each of the plurality of subscribers that have activated the particularity of channel assignment priority access during a period of channel congestion to wait for an available channel.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of queuing user requests and the plurality of subscribers that have activated the channel assignment priority access feature during periods of congestion includes assigning a channel available first to the subscriber the highest priority among those who wait for an available channel.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of queuing the user's call requests and the plurality of subscribers that has triggered the priority feature and channel assignment during periods of congestion , include assigning channels available to subscribers with equivalent priority on the basis of the first to arrive, first to be attended.

19. A method for processing a call request for a channel allocation priority access (PACA) call of a mobile telephone user in a cellular telecommunications network having a plurality of subscribers, the method comprising the steps of: receive the user's call request; determine if there is channel congestion in the network; assign a channel to the user during the determination that there is no channel congestion in the network; train the service provider to designate whether to use a reserved group of channels or the queuing technique for subscriber access and channel allocation during periods of channel congestion; reserve a group of channels for priority users when the service provider has designated a group of reserved channels to be used; determine if a reserved channel is available; assign a reserved channel to the user during a determination that a reserved channel is available; .. - 33 - determine, during a determination that a reserved channel is not available, whether the service provider has designated that a queuing technique should be used when a reserved channel is not available; deny access to the user during a determination that the service provider has not designated the queuing technique to be used; placing, during a determination that the service provider has designated that the queuing technique should be used, the user's PACA call request in order of priority with call requests from the plurality of subscribers, in accordance with the priority level of each subscriber and the arrival time in the queue of each of the call requests; determine whether the user's PACA call request can be adjusted in the queue, based on a predefined size of the queue; determine, during a determination that the user's PACA call request will not be adjusted in that waiting queue whether the service provider has designated that the reserved group of channels is to be used when the user's PACA call request is not adjusts in the waiting line; - 3. 4 - deny access to the user during a determination that the non-designated service provider should use a reserved group of channels; determine whether a reserved channel is available during a determination that the service provider has been designated to use the reserved group of channels; determine, during a determination that the user's PACA call request is in the queue, if a channel is available; determine, during a determination that a channel is available, if the user is the highest priority subscriber in the queue; assign, during a determination that the user is not the highest priority subscriber in the queue, a channel to a subscriber placed in a queue with a higher priority level and during a previous time of arrival within the priority level of the subscriber; and assigning a channel to the user during a determination that the user is the highest priority subscriber in that queue.