Dynamic configuration of unlimited service for roaming subscriber

• US 9,247,414 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2014
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shkut, Michael, Cieslak, Thomas J., Robeson, Nathaniel
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, CONGVAN
• Application Number:
  US14/170,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20140148124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432.1, 455/433, 4554351- 2, 455436-439, 455/442, 455406-408, 4554121- 2, 370331-332
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 a subscriber device;

enabling receipt of the unlimited roaming service to the subscriber device on the roaming service provider based on authorization by the home wireless service provider, wherein a subscriber 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 of one or more subscriber-level values associated with the subscriber, wherein the subscriber device is registered with the roaming service provider as a home subscriber device based on the authorization of the unlimited roaming service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein registering the subscriber device as a home subscriber device comprises determining whether a home market of the subscriber corresponds with the roaming service provider.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more subscriber-level values include at least one of a service plan of the subscriber or a billing plan of the subscriber.

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

5. 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.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein suspending billing further comprises suppressing a pre-call announcement associated with standard roaming service.

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

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

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

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

processing the registration request from the roaming service provider identifying the second subscriber device to provide standard roaming service to the second subscriber device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising registering the subscriber device in a billing system as an unlimited roaming service subscriber device, wherein registering the subscriber device in the billing system is performed in real-time.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising restricting the unlimited roaming service provided to the subscriber device to a subscribed level of service.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the subscribed level of service includes unlimited voice service.

12. 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 and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor electronics, cause the processor electronics 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, wherein the requesting subscriber device is associated with the one or more roaming service providers as a home subscriber device based on a received authorization;

registering, in response to receiving a registration request identifying the requesting subscriber device from the one or more roaming service providers, the requesting 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 one or more subscriber-level values associated with a subscriber; and

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

13. The system of claim 12, wherein registering the requesting subscriber device in the home location register and in the billing system comprises determining whether a home market of the subscriber corresponds with the one or more roaming service providers.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more subscriber-level values include at least one of a service plan associated with the subscriber or a billing plan associated with the subscriber.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the home location register is configured to transmit a message to the billing system, the message indicating that the requesting subscriber device has been registered as a home subscriber device.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, from a roaming partner switch, a call request associated with the requesting subscriber device; and

suspending billing associated with the call request.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise suppressing a pre-call announcement associated with standard roaming service.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise suspending an account balance verification.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

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

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

providing standard roaming service to the second subscriber device.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise registering the requesting subscriber device in the billing system in real-time.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise restricting the unlimited roaming service enabled for the requesting subscriber device to a subscribed level of service.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the subscribed level of service includes unlimited voice service.

23. 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 subscriber device on a roaming wireless network;

determining that the roaming subscriber device is eligible to receive the unlimited roaming service based at least in part on a determination that the roaming subscriber device corresponds to a home subscriber device on a home wireless network provided by the home wireless service provider; and

facilitating the unlimited roaming service to the roaming subscriber device by a roaming service provider, wherein a subscriber associated with the roaming subscriber device is not required to have an account with the roaming service provider in order to receive the unlimited roaming service and wherein the roaming subscriber device is associated with the roaming service provider as a home subscriber device on the roaming wireless network based on an authorization generated by the home wireless service provider, wherein the authorization generated by the home wireless service provider is based on a determination of one or more subscriber-level values associated with the subscriber.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the authorization generated by the home wireless service provider is based on a determination whether a home market of the subscriber corresponds with the roaming partner switch.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the one or more subscriber-level values include at least one of the subscriber'"'"'s a service plan of the subscriber or a billing plan of the subscriber.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving, from the roaming partner switch, a call request associated with the roaming subscriber device; and

suspending billing associated with the call request.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving, from the roaming partner switch, a call request associated with the roaming subscriber device; and

causing routing of the call request to a substitute number.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving from the roaming partner switch a call request associated with the roaming subscriber device; and

authorizing the call request based on verification of an account of the subscriber.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein authorizing the call request comprises applying charges to the account of the subscriber if the account is not verified.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein authorizing the call request comprises cutting off the call request if the account of the subscriber is not verified.