Dynamic configuration of unlimited service for roaming subscriber

• US 8,644,819 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2012
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cricket Communications Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shkut, Michael, Cieslak, Thomas J., Robeson, Nathaniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Cong
• Application Number:
  US13/584,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20130035061A1
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 4554321- 3, 455/433, 455/435.1, 455436-439, 455/442, 455406-408, 4554121- 2, 370331-332
• US Class Current: 455/432.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus are presented for enabling unlimited roaming service on a roaming partner switch. In one aspect, a method includes configuring a billing system corresponding to a home wireless service provider to authorize a subscriber device to receive unlimited roaming service on a roaming partner switch; receiving, by the home wireless service provider, a registration request from the roaming partner switch identifying the subscriber device; registering the subscriber device in the billing system as an unlimited roaming service subscriber device; and providing unlimited roaming service to the subscriber device. Further, a call request associated with the subscriber device can be received from the roaming partner switch and billing associated with the call request can be suspended.

Claims

1. A method of enabling unlimited roaming service, the method comprising:

receiving, by a home wireless service provider, a registration request from a roaming service provider identifying the subscriber device;

enabling receipt of unlimited roaming service to the subscriber device on the roaming service provider based on authorization by the home wireless service provider, wherein a user associated with the subscriber device is not required to have an account with the roaming service provider in order to receive the unlimited roaming service; and

registering the subscriber device as a home subscriber device in a home location register associated with the home wireless service provider based on a determination that a home region parameter associated with the subscriber device corresponds to a geographic location of the roaming partner switch;

wherein the subscriber device is associated with the roaming service provider as a home subscriber device based on authorization of the unlimited roaming service.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising causing the transmission, by the home location register, that the subscriber device has been registered as a home subscriber device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving from the roaming service provider a call request associated with the subscriber device; and

suspending billing associated with the call request.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein suspending billing further comprises suppressing a pre-call announcement associated with standard roaming service.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein suspending billing further comprises suspending an account balance verification.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by a home wireless service provider, a registration request from a roaming service provider identifying a second subscriber device;

determining, based on the billing system configuration, that the second subscriber device is not authorized to receive unlimited roaming service on the roaming partner switch; and

processing the request from the second subscriber device as a standard roaming service to the second subscriber device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising registering the subscriber device in the billing system is performed in real-time.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

restricting the unlimited roaming service provided to the subscriber device to a subscribed level of service.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the subscribed level of service includes unlimited voice service.

10. A system comprising:

a home wireless service provider that includes a billing system and a home location register, wherein the home wireless service provider includes processor electronics configured to perform operations comprising;

authorizing, in the billing system, a requesting subscriber device to receive unlimited roaming service on one or more roaming service providers, herein the subscriber device is associated with the one or more roaming service providers as a home subscriber device based on authorization from the home wireless service provider;

registering, in response to receiving a registration request identifying the subscriber device from the roaming service provider, the subscriber device in the home location register as a home subscriber device and in the billing system as an unlimited roaming service subscriber device, wherein the home location register is configured to determine that a home region parameter associated with the subscriber device corresponds to a geographic location of the roaming partner switch; and

enabling the provision of unlimited roaming service to the subscriber device on the one or more roaming service providers, wherein a user associated with the subscriber device is not required to have an account with the roaming service provider in order to receive the unlimited roaming service.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the home location register is configured to transmit a message to the billing system, indicating that the subscriber device has been registered as a home subscriber device.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor electronics are further configured to receive from the roaming partner switch a call request associated with the subscriber device;

and suspend billing associated with the call request.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor electronics are further configured to suppress a pre-call announcement associated with standard roaming service.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor electronics are further configured suspend an account balance verification.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor electronics are further configured to:

receive a registration request from the roaming partner switch identifying a second subscriber device associated with the home wireless service provider;

determine, based on the billing system configuration, that the second subscriber device is not authorized to receive unlimited roaming service on the roaming partner switch; and

provide standard roaming service to the second subscriber device.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor electronics are further configured to register the subscriber device in the billing system in real-time.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor electronics are further configured to restrict the unlimited roaming service enabled for the subscriber device to a subscribed level of service.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the subscribed level of service includes unlimited voice service.

19. A method of enabling unlimited roaming service on a roaming partner switch, the method comprising:

receiving, by a home wireless service provider, a registration request from a roaming service provider identifying a subscriber device;

determining that the subscriber device is eligible to receive unlimited roaming service based at least in part on a determination that the subscriber device being registered as a home subscriber device on the home wireless network; and

facilitating unlimited roaming service to the subscriber device on the roaming service provider, wherein a user associated with the subscriber device is not required to have an account with the roaming serviced provider in order to receive the unlimited roaming service and wherein the subscriber device is associated with the roaming service provider as a home subscriber device based on authorization generated by the home wireless service provider based on a determination that a home region parameter associated with the subscriber device corresponds to a geographic location of the roaming partner switch.