At&t Mobility Ii LLC

Mustafa Anwar Kazmi

Charles Jamile Hamadi

A method and system for setting a charging rate for a terminating call to a prepaid mobile subscriber in a telecommunications network is provided. A query from a GMSC to a mobile subscriber's HLR returns information from a VMSC where the mobile subscriber is registered, including local time information for the MSC where the mobile subscriber is registered. The local time information can be included in an Initial Detection Point at call setup so that a peak or off-peak rate for the call can be set. Additional messaging between the GMSC and the VMSC/VLR can determine the capability of the VMSC/VLR to provide updated local time information for the duration of the call.

Determining capability to provide dynamic local time updates in a prepaid terminating call

A method and system for processing a prepaid call in a mobile telecommunications network wherein charges can be recovered for the call after the SCP and Prepaid Platform lose contact with the MSC or GMSC handling the call. A Trigger Detection Point known as 'O-Disconnect' or 'T-Disconnect' can be armed in a prepaid subscriber's HLR and can be triggered when the MSC/GMSC loses contact with the SCP. The MSC/GMSC can record the time that the TDP was triggered in memory. The MSC/GMSC can then monitor for call disconnect and record the disconnection time in memory. When the call is disconnected the MSC/GMSC can renew contact with the SCP. MSC/GMSC can identify the call using a unique call identifier and advise the SCP of the times at which contact was lost and the call was disconnected. The SCP can use this information to calculate a charge for the portion of the call that occurred after contact with the MSC/GMSC was lost so that the entire call can be charged in near real-time.

Recovery of lost revenue in prepaid calls

A method and system for streamlining the calculation of a rate for a prepaid wireless call is provided. A mobile subscriber can be billed at one rate when she is within her home network and at a different rate when she is roaming in another network or can be billed at a special rate if she is within a location subject to the special rate. A time period for charging a call is allocated by the Service Control Point (SCP) and reported to the Mobile Switching Center (MSC) in the case of an outgoing call or a Gateway Mobile Switching Center (GMSC) in the case of an incoming call. A message from the MSC or GMSC to the SCP reporting an expiration of the first time period can contain information regarding a location of the prepaid subscriber. Thus, the next time period allocated by the SCP for the call can be billed at a rate that reflects the mobile subscriber's location at that time as reported by the MSC or GMSC.

Dynamic location-based rating for prepaid calls

A method and system for streamlining the call processing for a prepaid call in a mobile telecommunications network is provided. A trigger detection point (TDP) for processing an originating call placed by a prepaid wireless subscriber, which may be called 'O-Answer,' is defined in a mobile user's subscription information stored in the prepaid subscriber's home location register (HLR). An additional TDP for an incoming call to a prepaid subscriber as a terminating party, which may be called 'T-Answer,' also is defined in the prepaid subscriber's subscription information stored in the HLR. If the prepaid mobile subscriber's account balance is above a threshold amount, the call can be processed using the O-Answer and T-Answer TDPs without the need to contact the prepaid platform for authorization, thus reducing the amount of signaling required to process a prepaid call.

Optimized camel triggering for prepaid calling

A method and system for processing a prepaid call in a mobile telecommunications network is provided. A default call processing parameter for processing a call can control the processing of the call when communications between the Mobile Switching Center and the Service Control Point fails. The value of the default call processing parameter can be set to permit the call to continue or to be terminated in accordance with a characteristic associated with the call, such as a characteristic of the dialed telephone number or a nature of address in the case of an outgoing call or a location of the terminating mobile subscriber in the case of an incoming call.

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Atlanta, GA, United States of America

Mustafa Anwar Kazmi