APPARATUS, AND ASSOCIATED METHOD, FOR INFORMING DEDICATED MODE CONNECTED MOBILE STATION OF PACKET SERVICE CAPABILITIES IN A COVERAGE AREA
An apparatus, and an associated methodology, for identifying to a circuit-switch-connected mobile station with an indication of packet-service capabilities available to a mobile station. A message generator at the network generates a message that includes an indication of the network-entity capabilities with respect to packet communications. A field of the message identifies the packet-service capabilities. A message is sent by the network and detected by a detector of the mobile station. A report is formed indicative of the value contained in the delivered message, and a user display displays an indication of the detected information.
1 . An apparatus for facilitating identification of service coverage of a dedicated mode connected mobile station, said apparatus comprising:
a detector configured to detect delivery of a message that includes an indication indicative of serving-cell packet capability; and
a reporter configured to report the indication contained in the message detected by said detector.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said detector is configured to detect delivery of a message that includes an indication of whether the serving-cell packet capability includes EDGE, Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution, capability.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the indication indicative of the serving cell packet capability comprises a single bit field of the message.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said detector is configured to detect an SI 6 Rest octet that includes an indication indicative of the serving cell packet capability.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a user display configured to display in human perceptible form the report made by said reporter.
6 . The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said user display is configured to display an icon representative of the serving cell packet capability.
7 . A method for facilitating identification of service coverage of a dedicated mode connected mobile station, said method comprising:
detecting delivery of message that includes an indication indicative of serving-cell packet capability; and
reporting the indication contained in the message.
8 . The method of claim 7 wherein said detecting comprises detecting delivery of a message that includes an indication of whether the serving cell packet capability includes, EDGE, Enhanced Data For GSM Evolution, capability.
9 . The method of claim 7 wherein the indication indicative of the serving cell packet capability comprises a single bit field of the message.
10 . The method of claim 7 wherein said detecting comprises detecting an SI 6 Rest octet that includes an indication indicative of the serving cell packet capability.
11 . The method of claim 7 further comprising displaying the report in human perceptible form.
12 . The method of claim 11 wherein said displaying comprises displaying an icon representative of the serving cell packet capability.
13 . An apparatus for facilitating identification of service coverage at a coverage area, said apparatus comprising:
a message generator configured to generate a message that includes an indication indicative of coverage-area packet capability; and
a broadcaster configured to broadcast the message generated by said message generator.
14 . The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said message generator is configured to generate a message that includes an indication of whether the serving cell packet capability includes EDGE, Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution, capability.
15 . The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the indication indicative of the serving cell packet capability comprises a single bit field of the message.
16 . The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said message generator is configured to generate an SI 6 Rest octet that includes an indication indicative of the serving cell packet capability.
17 . A method for facilitating identification of service coverage at a coverage area, said method comprising:
generating a message that includes an indication indicative of coverage area packet capability; and
broadcasting the message.
18 . The method of claim 17 wherein said generating the message further comprises populating a single bit field of the message to indicate whether the coverage area packet capability comprises EDGE, Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution, capability.
19 . The method of claim 18 wherein said populating comprises populating the single bit field with a first value to indicate EDGE capability and populating the single bit field with a second value to indicate non-EDGE capability.
20 . The method of claim 17 wherein said generating comprises generating an SI 6 Rest octet.