System and method for a wireless handset upgrade credit

• US 20090005001A1
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sweeney, Jeffrey M.
• Application Number:
  US11/823,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20090005001A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675

Abstract

A system and method for a feature credit. A feature credit is determined for a user in response to services being utilized by the user. A feature credit balance is adjusted in response to determining the feature credit.

Claims

1. A method for a feature credit, said method comprising:

determining a feature credit for a user in response to services being utilized by the user, and

adjusting a feature credit balance in response to the determining the feature credit.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the feature credit balance is adjusted periodically based on a time period.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the feature credit and the feature credit balance to the user, wherein the displaying occurs on a monthly billing statement.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

upgrading a handset based on a user selection to redeem the feature credit balance to purchase the handset.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining occurs based on a value of the user.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the value is determined based on revenue received from the user.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein adjusting further comprises:

adding a bonus credit or a retention credit to the feature credit balance.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein adding the bonus credit or the retention credit occurs in response to competitive pressure from another communications service provider.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining further comprises:

pro-rating the feature credit based on a communications service agreement.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the feature credit may be redeemed for any of ring tones, wireless services, wireless features, wireless devices, rebates, and discounts.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the bonus credit or retention credit is added seasonally.

12. The method according to claim 5, wherein the value is determined by a level based on one or more wireless service plans and number of accounts.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the feature credit may be used to upgrade a wireless service plan or feature of the wireless service plan.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the server includes modules for recording the handset upgrade credit, determining the value of a user, summing the handset upgrade credit, and receiving user input regarding a bonus credit or a retention credit.

16. The system according to claim 11, further comprising:

a purchasing system for redeeming the handset upgrade credit to any of purchase a wireless device, upgrade a wireless feature, upgrade a wireless service, receive a discount, and receive a rebate.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein the server is configured to provide an interface to one or more clients to display the handset upgrade credit to the user through a network connection.

19. The system according to claim 11, wherein the set of instructions are configured to perform a transaction to redeem the total to purchase a wireless device.

20. The system according to claim 11, wherein the set of instructions further determines a value of the user for determining the handset upgrade credit based on revenue received from the user.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

pro-rating a service term handset upgrade credit for the time period to determine the handset upgrade credit.

14-1. A billing system, said system comprising:

a server configured to determine a handset upgrade credit issued to a user in response to an elapsed period of service; and

a database in communication with the server, the database configured to store the handset upgrade credit for access by the server.

18. A billing system comprising:

a processor for executing a set of instructions;

a memory configured to store the set of instructions, wherein the set of instructions determines a new handset upgrade credit to issue to a user in response to an elapsed period of service, sums the new handset upgrade credit with a balance of a pre-existing handset upgrade credit to generate a total and displays the new handset upgrade credit and the total to the user.