Method for providing telephone services for commercial classes of service

• US 6,687,351 B1
• Filed: 12/07/1999
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Benhov GmbH, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Antrim, Todd W., Abrue, Curtis M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Quoc D.
• Application Number:
  US09/454,848
• Time in Patent Office: 1,519 Days
• Field of Search: 379/111, 379/114.01, 379/114.05, 379/133, 379/137, 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 379/201.03, 379/207.02, 379/221.08, 379/225, 379/232, 379/157, 379/156, 379/201.12, 379/207.11, 379/226, 379/227, 379/231, 379/234, 370/271
• US Class Current: 379/157
• 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 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A method, such as a method for doing business. The method includes providing telecommunications dialing features for commercial classes of telephone service. The method may include providing the telecommunications dialing features for commercial classes of telephone service on dedicated phone lines, such as a T-1 circuit. The method may also include charging a customer for providing the telecommunications dialing features for commercial classes of dedicated telephone service. According to one embodiment, the method includes charging the customer a fee on a periodic basis for the dialing features.

Claims

1. A method of providing an enhanced telecommunications dialing feature on a commercial class of dedicated telephone service, comprising:

establishing a feature identification code (FID) for the dialing feature on the commercial class of dedicated telephone service;

assigning a network access register (NAR) to a dedicated commercial telephone line, wherein the dedicated commercial telephone line is for at least one terminating piece of customer premises equipment that is in communication with a telecommunications service provider central office; and

associating the FID with the NAR assigned to the dedicated commercial telephone line;

wherein the enhanced telecommunications dialing feature is provided by the telecommunications service provider at the central office.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning a plurality of NARs to a plurality of dedicated commercial telephone lines; and

associating the FID with the plurality of NARs.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

assigning a NAR includes assigning a NAR to a plurality of dedicated commercial telephone lines; and

associating the FID includes associating the FID with the NAR assigned to the plurality of dedicated commercial telephone lines.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the dialing feature is selected from a group consisting of call waiting, speed dialing, and call return.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a plurality of FIDs for a plurality of calling features; and

associating at least one of the FIDs with the NAR assigned to the dedicated commercial telephone line.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the FID occurs after assigning the NAR to the dedicated commercial telephone line.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the FID occurs before assigning the NAR to the dedicated commercial telephone line.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising billing a customer associated with the dedicated commercial telephone line for the dialing feature.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein billing includes:

identifying the FID associated with the dialing feature;

assigning the FID to a Universal Service Order Code (USOC) for the telephone line; and

billing the customer according to the USOC.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein billing the customer is based on a per usage basis of the dialing feature.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein billing the customer is based on a fixed fee per unit time for the dialing feature.