Importance

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Abstract

Subscriber units are tracked in a cellular communications system including a plurality of cells which communicate with subscriber units. A cell type is assigned to each cell according to a mobility characteristic of a subscriber unit population of the cell. Each cell is associated with at least one of a plurality of districts based on the cell type of the cell, such that each of the plurality of districts may be characterized according to a mobility characteristic of a subscriber unit population of the district. A subscriber unit is registered with one of the plurality of the districts according to the mobility of the subscriber unit. According to preferred method aspects of the invention, at least one district is defined for each cell, each district having a geographical extent with respect to the cell location of the cell, to thereby associate each cell with at least one district. A respective cell identification message is broadcast in a respective one of said plurality of cells, the cell identification message for a cell identifying the cell location of the cell, the geographical extent of the least one district to which the cell is assigned and a cell type representing a mobility characteristic of a subscriber unit population of the cell. A cell identification message is received at a subscriber unit, and the subscriber unit is registered with one of the districts according to the cell type, the cell location and the district geographical extent identified in the received cell identification message.

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First Claim