Method and apparatus for over-the-air programming of telecommunication services

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention provides a method for enabling a service provider to provide telecommunication service updates to mobile stations without active involvement of the subscribers of those stations.
More specifically, the present invention provides that a database within the service provider's network can be updated in accordance with changes in telecommunication services (such as changes in agreements with other service providers).
This database can then automatically be sent to the mobile stations to update the database information within the mobile stations.
This updated information, which is used to control the operations of the mobile station, such as to control the roaming operation of the station as it is moved throughout various geographic areas, is provided over the air by the provider without specific activities by the subscriber.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, service information is updated in a central database.
A plurality of mobile stations having service information storage capabilities are identified and then a subset of this plurality of mobile stations is selected to be updated.
The method then detects whether a selected mobile station is activated.
If the selected mobile station is activated then updated service information is transferred from the central database to the selected mobile station.
If the selected mobile station is not activated then the selected mobile station is designated to be updated when it is later activated.
The service information may include data for managing intelligent roaming operations.
In addition, the step of identifying the plurality of mobile stations having service information storage capabilities may occur automatically upon completion of updating of the central database.
In an embodiment of the method more specifically directed to intelligent roaming, an intelligent roaming database is updated.
Subsequently, wireless telephones having over-the-air programmability are identified.
Then, an update status indicator for wireless telephone having this programmability is set