Patent ID: 8750864

Claim:
A method in a switching unit of switching calls involving an electronic communication device in an electronic communications system, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining position area information, including a cell identifier (ID) of a serving cell for the electronic communication device in response to a call service request from the electronic communication device, determining whether the cell ID is included in a list of cells eligible for a local policy, determining whether further position information for the electronic communication device is required or not, based on the cell ID; upon determining that the cell ID is included in the list of cells eligible for the local policy, and that further position information is not required, sending to a service control unit a message indicating that the position area is associated with the local policy and obtaining instructions from the service control unit for the call service; upon determining that further position information is required, obtaining from a base station controller further positioning information of the electronic communication device that better defines location of the electronic communication device within the serving cell, and sending to the service control unit a report message that contain the further position information, the report message is configured to cause the service control point to perform further local policy eligibility determination for the electronic communication device using the further position information; and based on the further eligibility determination by the service control unit, obtaining instructions from the service control unit for implementing the call service, wherein the local policy defines the call service for the calls from or to areas where the call service is to be employed.