Hybrid cellular communication apparatus and method

a method for facilitating cellular communication for and among a plurality of native cellular handsets in a hybrid cellular communication network that has a cellular exchange subsystem and a private mobile-services switching center. In this embodiment, the cellular exchange subsystem is coupled to a public cellular network, and the native cellular handsets represent handsets that subscribe to the hybrid cellular communication network. The hybrid cellular communication network further facilitates cellular communication between a non-native cellular handset and the public cellular network, with the non-native cellular handset and the public cellular network, with the non-native cellular handset being a cellular handset that does not subscribe to the hybrid cellular communication network. In this embodiment, the method includes the steps of receiving access request data, using a cellular exchange subsystem, and ascertaining whether the access request data originates from one of the plurality of native cellular handsets or from the non-native cellular handset. If the access request data originates from the one of the plurality of native cellular handsets, the method then passes data relating to the access request to the private mobile-services switching center for completing a first call path from the one of the plurality of native cellular handsets. On the other hand, if the access request data originates from the non-native cellular handset, the method passes data relating to the access request data to the public cellular network for completing a second call path between the non-native cellular handset and the public cellular network.