Methods and apparatus for initiating a Wireless Access Protocol (WAP) push
session to push information from a push proxy gateway to a mobile station
in a wireless communication network are provided. In one embodiment, the
method comprises transmitting an initiation request to the mobile station
using a connection-oriented signalling channel, the mobile station
establishing a push session in response to the initiation request.
Preferably, the connection-oriented signalling channel transmits the
initiation request without using a store-and-forward mechanism. In one
embodiment, the connection-oriented signalling channel comprises an
Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) channel. The initiation
request may conform to a WAP protocol for Service Initiation Requests
(SIRs) or a USSD protocol for Unstructured Supplementary Service Requests
(USSRs). In the latter case, the method may comprise establishing a
connection with the mobile station using USSD; and sending a USSR message
requesting the mobile station to activate and establish a push session.