Embodiments are directed to scheduling location update reports of access terminals to an access network within a wireless communications system. The access network acquires a defined location region within a wireless communications system, and determines a location of a given access terminal within the wireless communications system. The access network selects one of a plurality of location update rules for the given access terminal based on a relationship between the defined location region and the determined location, each of the plurality of location update rules specifying different conditions for prompting location update reports from the given access terminal to the access network. The access network informs the given access terminal of the selected location update rule, and the given access terminal sends one or more location update reports to the access network in accordance with the selected location update rule.