Importance

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Abstract

The wireless communications system includes a home carrier and HLR memory means, associated with the home carrier, for storing a number of Home Locator Records defining the level of service to be provided to the individual subscribers of the home carrier. The Home Locator Record is at least initially configured to prohibit call termination of the respective subscriber outside of the predetermined service area of the home carrier. However, the wireless communications system also includes reconfiguring means for at least temporarily reconfiguring the Home Locator Record of a respective subscriber in response to a request for communications service involving the subscriber who has roamed outside of the predetermined service area of the home carrier if the subscriber has prepaid for the requested services. Once reconfigured, the wireless communications system can provide the Home Locator Record of the respective subscriber to a serving carrier via IS-41 (Rev. A) messaging. The reconfigured Home Locator Record serves as the roaming subscriber's Visitor Locator Record which, in turn, authorizes the requested wireless communications service. Once the requested service has been ended, either upon completion of the call or exhaustion of the prepaid services, the reconfiguring means resets the Home Locator Record of the respective subscriber such that the Home Locator Record again prohibits call termination with the subscriber outside of the service area of the home carrier in order to further protect the wireless communications system from fraud.

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First Claim