System and method for provisioning telecommunications services between an access point and a telecommunications network and providing a missing information notification
View Patent ↗A method and system for selectively provisioning connections between an access point, which supports telecommunications services over an IP network, and a carrier network includes a network connection and a telephone connector suitable for connecting to a landline telephone, a cordless telephone, or a mobile device. The access point sends a provisioning request, which includes identifying information such as a subscriber identifier and a MAC address, to a network controller. The network controller attempts to find a geographic, street, or other address associated with the connection to be provisioned. If an address is not found, the network controller rejects the connection and sends a missing information notification to the access point. After receiving the missing information notification, the access point controls a user indicator to provide error information.
1. In a telecommunications network that employs both a licensed wireless cellular network and an IP-based network, a method for provisioning telecommunications services for a user of a telecommunications device, wherein the telecommunications services are provisioned in part between an access point and the IP-based network, the method comprising:
receiving a registration signal from the access point, wherein the registration signal includes a subscriber identifier, and wherein the access point is configured to provide telecommunications services over the IP-based network for the mobile device;
determining if a street address is associated with the subscriber identifier;
selectively provisioning telecommunications services between the access point and the telecommunications network, based at least in part on whether the street address was found; but,
if the street address was not found, sending a missing information notification to the access point.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the telecommunications services are Universal Mobile Access (UMA) or Generic Access Network (GAN) services.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a geographic location of the access point;
comparing the geographic location to the street address; and
providing the missing information notification based on the comparison.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
monitoring a logical address of the access point; and
providing the missing information notification in response to a change in the logical address.
5. A system for provisioning telecommunications services between an access point and an IP-based network in a converged telecommunications network that employs both a cellular network and the IP-based network, the system comprising:
a communication component configured to receive a request from the access point for telecommunications services, wherein the request includes an identifier;
an address verification component configured to find an address associated with the identifier;
a provisioning component configured to selectively provision telecommunications services between the access point and the telecommunications network, based at least in part on the comparison; and
a missing information component configured to send a missing information notification to the access point.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the access point is a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point having a landline telephone connector for connecting to a landline telephone, wherein the access point provides voice services under a Universal Mobile Access (UMA) or Generic Access Network (GAN) protocol, wherein the identifier is received or derived from a user-provided memory device that stores the identifier in a tamper-resistant memory, and wherein the access point is configured to provide a user-perceptible indication in response to receiving the missing information notification.
7. The system of claim 5 , further comprising a location comparison component configured to receive a geographic location of the access point, wherein the missing information component is further configured to send the missing information notification based on a comparison of the geographic location and the address.
8. The system of claim 5 , further comprising a network monitoring component configured to monitor a network address of the access point, wherein the missing information component is further configured to send the missing information notification in response to a change in the network address.
9. In a telecommunications system employing an IP-based network, a method for provisioning telecommunications services for a user of a customer-premises telecommunications equipment, wherein the telecommunications services are provisioned via the IP-based network, the method comprising:
receiving a registration signal from the customer-premises telecommunications equipment, wherein the registration signal includes an identifier;
searching for a street address associated with the identifier;
determining whether to require the street address to be updated; and,
if the street address is not found or if the street address requires updating, sending a missing information notification to the customer-premises telecommunications equipment.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining whether the street address requires updating comprises:
receiving a geographic location of the customer-premises telecommunications equipment;
comparing the geographic location to the street address; and
providing the missing information notification based on the comparison.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining whether the street address requires updating comprises:
monitoring a logical address of the customer-premises telecommunications equipment; and
providing the missing information notification in response to a change in the logical address.
12. A tangible computer-readable medium storing instructions for provisioning telecommunications services for a user of a telecommunications device, wherein the telecommunications services are provisioned in part between an access point and an IP-based network, comprising:
receiving a registration signal from the access point, wherein the registration signal includes a subscriber identifier, and
wherein the access point is configured to provide telecommunications services over the IP-based network for the mobile device;
determining if a street address is associated with the subscriber identifier;
selectively provisioning telecommunications services between the access point and the telecommunications network, based at least in part on whether the street address was found; but,
if the street address was not found, sending a missing information notification to the access point.
13. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the telecommunications services are Universal Mobile Access (UMA) or Generic Access Network (GAN) services.
14. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 12 , further comprising:
receiving a geographic location of the access point;
comparing the geographic location to the street address; and
providing the missing information notification based on the comparison.
15. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 12 , further comprising:
monitoring a logical address of the access point; and
providing the missing information notification in response to a change in the logical address.
16. In a telecommunications network that employs both a licensed wireless cellular network and an IP-based network, a system for provisioning telecommunications services for a user of a telecommunications device, wherein the telecommunications services are provisioned in part between an access point and the IP-based network, the system comprising:
means for receiving a registration signal from the access point, wherein the registration signal includes a subscriber identifier, and
wherein the access point is configured to provide telecommunications services over the IP-based network for the mobile device;
means for determining if a street address is associated with the subscriber identifier;
means for selectively provisioning telecommunications services between the access point and the telecommunications network, based at least in part on whether the street address was found; and,
means for sending a missing information notification to the access point if the street address was not found.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the telecommunications services are Universal Mobile Access (UMA) or Generic Access Network (GAN) services.
18. The system of claim 16 , further comprising:
means for receiving a geographic location of the access point;
means for comparing the geographic location to the street address; and
means for providing the missing information notification based on the comparison.
19. The system of claim 16 , further comprising:
means for monitoring a logical address of the access point; and
means for providing the missing information notification in response to a change in the logical address.
20. A tangible computer-readable medium storing instructions for provisioning telecommunications services for a user of a customer-premises telecommunications equipment, wherein the telecommunications services are provisioned via a IP-based network, the method comprising:
receiving a registration signal from the customer-premises telecommunications equipment,
wherein the registration signal includes an identifier;
searching for a street address associated with the identifier;
determining whether to require the street address to be updated; and,
if the street address is not found or if the street address requires updating, sending a missing information notification to the customer-premises telecommunications equipment.
21. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 20 , wherein determining whether the street address requires updating comprises:
receiving a geographic location of the customer-premises telecommunications equipment;
comparing the geographic location to the street address; and
providing the missing information notification based on the comparison.
22. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 20 , wherein determining whether the street address requires updating comprises:
monitoring a logical address of the customer-premises telecommunications equipment; and
providing the missing information notification in response to a change in the logical address.