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Inetwork architecture for calling party pays wireless service

  • US 6,405,028 B1
  • Filed: 12/08/1999
  • Issued: 06/11/2002
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method of providing a calling party pays billing treatment on a call to a wireless subscriber station, comprising:

  • routing a call for a telephone number assigned to the wireless subscriber station from a calling station through a landline network operated by a carrier to a predetermined switching office of the landline network;

    recognizing a need for calling party pays billing treatment with respect to the call;

    determining whether or not the carrier can bill charges to a party associated with the calling station;

    if the carrier can bill charges to a party associated with the calling station, completing and billing for the call by execution of steps comprising;

    1) routing the call from the predetermined switching office to a wireless communication network serving the wireless subscriber station;

    2) completing the call to the wireless subscriber station through the wireless communication network;

    3) recording call completion information in the landline network operated by the carrier;

    4) forwarding the call completion information to a billing system operated by the carrier; and

    5) billing the party associated with the calling station for completion of the call through the wireless communication network using the billing system operated by the carrier; and

    if the carrier can not bill charges to a party associated with the calling station, completing and billing for the call by execution of steps comprising;

    a) routing the call from the predetermined switching office to another switching office;

    b) determining one of a plurality of alternate billing facilities which can bill charges to a party associated with the calling station;

    c) initiating call data recording for the one alternate billing facility;

    d) routing the call from said another switching office to the wireless communication network serving the wireless subscriber station;

    e) completing the call to the wireless subscriber station through the wireless communication network; and

    f) billing the party associated with the calling station for completion of the call through the wireless communication network using the one alternate billing facility and based on the call data recording, wherein the alternate billing facilities comprise a clearinghouse system and a credit card billing system, and the step of determining one of the alternate billing facilities which can bill to the party associated with the calling station comprises;

    accessing a database of subscriber related information to determine if a party associated with the calling station is billable through the clearinghouse; and

    selecting billing through the clearinghouse if the database of subscriber related information indicates that the party associated with the subscriber station can be billed through the clearinghouse.

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