System and method for a telephony upgrade credit

• US 20090089165A1
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• 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:
  US11/904,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20090089165A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.270
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

A system and method for a feature credit. A feature credit for a user is determined in response to one or more telephony services being utilized by the user. A feature credit balance is adjusted in response to determining the feature credit. The feature credit is redeemed based on user input to provide the user a redemption service.

Claims

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

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

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

redeeming the feature credit based on user input to provide the user a redemption service.

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, wherein the redemption service includes devices, services, and features.

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

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the feature credit is a percentage of the revenue.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the revenue is classified into one of a plurality of levels and a value of the feature credit corresponds to the one of the plurality of levels.

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

adding a bonus credit or a retention credit to the feature credit balance in response to competitive pressure from another communications service provider.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the feature credit is increased based on user usage of a communications service below a specified threshold.

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

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the bonus credit is received for referring another user to one of a plurality of communications services.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the redemption service is received for a specified time period.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the redemption services include Internet Protocol television (IPTV), data, wireless, Voice over Internet Protocol, and voice services.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the redemption services include third-party services.

15. A billing system, said system comprising:

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

a database in communication with the server, the database configured to store the telephony upgrade credit for access by the server; and

wherein the server further receives user input from a user through a graphical user interface to redeem the telephony upgrade credit for devices, services, or features available through a communication network.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the server includes records the telephony upgrade credit, determines the value of a user based on revenue received from the user for one or more communications services, sums the telephony upgrade credit, and receives input regarding a bonus credit or a retention credit.

17. The system according to claim 15, further comprising:

a purchasing system for redeeming the telephony upgrade credit for a specified time period, to any of purchase a communication device, upgrade a communication feature, upgrade a communications service, receive a discount, and receive a rebate.

18. The system according to claim 15, wherein the server is configured to generate the telephony upgrade credit based on user usage of a communications service below a specified threshold.

19. 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 telephony upgrade credit to issue to a user in response to an elapsed period of service, sums the new telephony upgrade credit with a balance of a preexisting telephony upgrade credit to generate a total, displays the new telephony upgrade credit and the total to the user, and receives user input for redeeming the total to receive redemption services for a specified time period.

20. The billing system according to claim 19, wherein the set of instructions are configured to generate the new telephony upgrade credit based on user usage of a communications service below a specified threshold.

21. The billing system according to claim 19, wherein the set of instructions further determines a value of the user for determining the telephony upgrade credit based on revenue received from the user, wherein the new telephony upgrade credit is a percentage of the revenue.

22. The billing system according to claim 19, wherein an administrator with access to the billing system may transfer all or a portion of the total between a plurality of users to be redeemed by a specified user.