Method and system for analyzing and preparing an optimum telephone services call plan

• US 6,606,377 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2001
• Issued: 08/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Henson, Dirk S., Lenio, Allan J., Ruckart, John P., Pacifico, Mike, Rauba, Ray
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): Taylor, Barry W
• Application Number:
  US09/888,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20020196919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 379/121.02, 379/114.03, 379/114.06, 379/114.12, 379/114.1, 379/112-1-1, 379/111, 379/115-1-1
• US Class Current: 379/121.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0184 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/42 Least cost routing, i.e. provision for selecting the lowest cost tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/46 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection

Abstract

A method and system are provided for analyzing and preparing optimum telephone services calling plans. An optimum calling plan analysis engine analyzes wireline local and long distance and wireless call use during a given period of time for selected wireline and wireless telephone services. Based on a number of factors, including the type, duration, time, day, location, etc. of calls made by the subscriber, the calling plan engine calculates the cost of a number of different calling plans to which the subscriber may change in order to offer a cost savings to the subscriber. After the calling plan engine calculates and identifies alternative calling plans that meet the subscriber'"'"'s calling patterns and save costs to the subscriber, the subscriber is notified of the alternative calling plans.

Claims

1. A method of preparing an alternative calling plan for a subscriber of telecommunication services, comprising the steps of:

calculating a cost of an actual subscriber use of telecommunication services during a period of use under an existing calling plan;

calculating a cost of the actual subscriber use according to each of a plurality of alternative calling plans;

comparing the cost of subscriber use according to each of the plurality of alternative calling plans to the actual subscriber use during the period of use under the existing calling plan;

determining whether any of the calculated costs of the actual subscriber use according to each of the plurality of alternative calling plans are less than the cost of the actual subscriber use by at least a predetermined savings threshold during the period of use under the existing calling plan;

notifying the subscriber of the alternative calling plans that cost less than the cost of the actual subscriber use during the period of use by at least the predetermined savings threshold under the existing calling plan if and only if the predetermined savings threshold is greater than administrative costs associated with switching a subscriber to any of the alternative calling plans.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring patterns of subscriber use of telephone services; and

whereby the step of notifying the subscriber of any of the calling plans, further includes notifying the subscriber of any of the calling plans that meet the patterns of subscriber use of telephone services.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of monitoring patterns of subscriber use of telephone services includes:

obtaining call detail records of calls made by the subscriber during the period of use; and

obtaining subscriber calling plan information for calculating a cost of an actual subscriber use of telephone services during a period of use.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the call detail records and the subscriber calling plan information are obtained from a telecommunications services billing system.

5. The method of claim 1, whereby the step of notifying the subscriber of any of the calling plans, further includes illustrating an amount of potential savings during a period of use.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscriber use of telecommunication services includes wireline long distance services.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscriber use of telecommunication services includes wireless services.

8. A system for preparing an alternative calling plan for a subscriber of telecommunication services, comprising:

a calling plan engine operative

to calculate a cost of an actual subscriber use of telecommunication services during a period of use under an existing calling plan;

to calculate a cost of the actual subscriber use according to each of a plurality of alternative calling plans;

to compare the cost of subscriber use according to each of the plurality of alternative calling plans to the actual subscriber use during the period of use under the existing calling plan;

to determine whether any of the calculated costs of the actual subscriber use according to each of the plurality of alternative calling plans are less than the cost of the the actual subscriber use by at least a predetermined savings threshold during the period of use under the existing calling plan; and

to notify the subscriber of the alternative calling plans that cost less than the cost of the actual subscriber use during the period of use by at least the predetermined savings threshold under the existing calling plan if and only if the predetermined savings threshold is greater than administrative costs associated with switching a subscriber to any of the alternative calling plans.

9. The system of claim 8, the calling plan engine being further operative:

to monitor patterns of subscriber use of telephone services; and

to notify the subscriber of any of the calling plans that meet the patterns of subscriber use of telephone services.

10. The system of claim 9, the calling plan engine being further operative

to obtain from a billing system call detail records of calls made by the subscriber during the period of use;

and

to obtain from a billing system subscriber calling plan information for calculating a cost of an actual subscriber use of telephone services during a period of use.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the subscriber use of telecommunication services includes wireline long distance services.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the subscriber use of telecommunication services includes wireless services.