Patent ID: 8099083

Claim:
A method for providing a voice message to a user of a mobile station (MS) in a communications network having at least first and second independent mobile systems, each of said independent mobile systems including a Mobile Switching Center (MSC), Short Message Service Center (SMS-C) and Voice Message System (VMS), wherein each said VMS is identified by a unique identifier code, said method comprising the steps of: receiving a call request for a MS at a first MSC of first independent mobile system; routing said call request from said first MSC to said MS through a second MSC of a second independent mobile system, said second independent mobile system currently serving said second MS; if said second MS does not answer said call, storing a voice message in a Voice Mail System (VMS) of said first or second independent mobile system; requesting, by said VMS, that a Short Message Service Center (SMS-C) transmit an SMS notification message to said MS; and, transmitting, by said SMS-C, said SMS notification message to said MS through said second MSC, said SMS notification message including the unique identifier code of said VMS, whereby said second MS can retrieve said voice message by placing a call to said unique identifier code of said VMS when being served by any independent mobile system; wherein said MS can retrieve a plurality of voice messages stored by a plurality of VMSs when being served by any independent mobile system, said method further comprising the steps of: receiving a request from said MS, at an MSC of said any independent mobile system currently serving said MS, for all voice messages, said request directed to a common identifier code for voice messages; routing said request for said all voice messages from said MSC of said any independent mobile system currently serving said MS to a VMS of said any independent mobile system; requesting, by said VMS of said any independent mobile system currently serving said MS, each individual voice message for said MS stored on each VMS of all independent mobile systems in the communications network; and, transmitting each said individual voice message to said MS.