Many individuals in the United States, and throughout the world, use wireless communications devices, such as cellular telephones, on a daily basis in their business or personal lives. Wireless communications service providers are increasingly becoming national and global in scope so that wireless communications devices operate in many different parts of the world. Because of the ability to use wireless communications devices in many parts of the world, travelers often travel with these devices.
A traveler arriving at a new destination is typically unfamiliar with amenities such as restaurants, recreation, lodging, etc. available at the destination. The traveler may directly inquire about one of these amenities if he is already aware of the amenity. For example, the traveler may use their wireless communications device to communicate with a restaurant by dialing directory assistance or directly dialing the restaurant. However, this is only in the case in which the traveler is already aware of the restaurant through some source such as advertising, etc. However, oftentimes, the traveler knows little about the amenities of a particular destination upon arrival.
The providers of these amenities could directly call the traveler on the traveler's wireless communications device if they knew the telephone number of the traveler's device and if they knew what information might be helpful to the traveler. There is much helpful information about the traveler and the traveler's device, including the traveler's telephone number, that already exists in the wireless system. This is the information derived in registering a roamer into a foreign network. However, this roaming information is available only to the wireless service providers.
Roaming in a wireless system typically functions as follows. When a traveler arrives at his destination and turns on or logs on his wireless communications device, a process known as Autonomous Registration occurs. The wireless device transmits a unique identifying data stream to the nearest base station of the local wireless system. The base station adds its unique cell/sector identification number to the Autonomous Registration data stream and sends the information to a mobile switching center, or MSC. The MSC determines whether the traveler's device is a “home” user with current billing information on file or whether it is a foreign user, i.e., roaming. If the MSC determines that the traveler's wireless communications device is roaming, it transmits an inquiry message to the home cellular network of the roaming device and verifies authorization and billing information. The MSC then allows the roaming device to register for calls by storing the device's registration information in a Visitor Location Register, or VLR. The registration information regarding a roaming wireless communications device is rich in information about the roaming device. From the information derived from the roaming device, assumptions can be made regarding the information needs of the traveler using the device. However, there has previously been no method or system for utilizing this information outside of the wireless system.
Thus, there is a need for a method and system for providing the registration information regarding a roaming wireless communications device to an outside service provider to provide messaging and other information to the roaming device. There is a further need for providing such a method and system without introducing new fault points into the existing wireless system or requiring significant modifications to the existing wireless system.