Patent ID: 7277694

Claim:
A method for operating a wireless communications network, comprising operations of: a base station receiving a number of broadcast programs from a content server; a subscriber-station conducting initial evaluation operations to determine availability of a desired one of the broadcast programs from the base station via a shared channel for common reception by multiple subscriber-stations; if available via shared channel, performing a first operational sequence to initiate reception of the desired broadcast program via a shared channel, the first operational sequence comprising operations of: the subscriber-station monitoring the desired broadcast program via the shared channel; if unavailable via shared channel, conducting follow-up evaluation operations to determine availability of the desired program from the base station via individual channels dedicated for use by single subscriber-stations; if available via individual channels, performing a second operational sequence to initiate reception of the desired broadcast program upon an individual channel, the second operational sequence comprising operations of: the subject subscriber-station sending the base station a staff-service message identifying the desired program; responsive to the start-service message, the base station transmitting a message to the subscriber-station assigning an individual channel dedicated for use by the subscriber-station to receive the desired program; the base station commencing transmission of the desired program to the subject subscriber-station upon the assigned channel; responsive to receiving the channel assignment message, the subject subscriber-station commencing receipt of the desired broadcast program on the assigned channel.