Selective simulcast paging system

A method of transmitting paging messages over a paging system configurable to provide coverage over a primary geographic area or region and at least two subregions defined within the primary geographic region. The paging system consists of a plurality of paging transmitters that broadcast paging messages to the primary geographic region. Some of the plurality of paging transmitters are also assigned to broadcast to a particular subregion within the primary geographic area. During primary operation, for part of a predetermined period of time, all of the paging transmitters within the paging system simulcast paging messages to subscribers entitled to coverage over the whole primary geographic region. For a remaining period of broadcast time, each of the paging transmitters assigned to broadcast to a respective subregion broadcast paging messages intended for subscribers entitled only to paging coverage within that particular subregion. Paging transmitters which do not cover any of the subregions are silent during this subregional paging message broadcast phase.