System, method, and computer program for processing a charge for a telecommunication based on billing groups of parties to the telecommunication
View Patent ↗A system, method, and computer program product are provided for processing a charge for a telecommunication. In use, a telecommunication from a service subscriber to a recipient is received. Additionally, it is determined whether both the service subscriber and the recipient are included within one or more billing groups. Further, a charge for the telecommunication is processed, based on the determining.
1. A computer program embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising:
computer code for receiving a telecommunication from a service subscriber to a recipient;
computer code for determining whether the service subscriber and the recipient are both included in a single billing group or are both included in a plurality of distinct billing groups;
computer code for processing a charge for the telecommunication using a pricing plan associated with the single billing group upon determining that the service subscriber and the recipient are both included in the single billing group, where the pricing plan dictates entities responsible for the charge for the telecommunication, based on one or more criteria; and
computer code for processing the charge for the telecommunication using the pricing plan selected according to a predefined policy upon determining that the service subscriber and the recipient are both included in each of a plurality of billing groups, where selecting the pricing plan includes:
identifying a plurality of priorities each assigned to a unique billing group of the plurality of billing groups,
selecting the pricing plan associated with the billing group having a highest priority when compared to the plurality of priorities, and
processing the charge for the telecommunication, utilizing the selected pricing plan.
2. The computer program of claim 1 , wherein the telecommunication is made from a mobile device.
3. The computer program of claim 1 , wherein the billing group includes a group of subscribers with shared interests.
4. The computer program of claim 1 , wherein the billing group is business oriented.
5. The computer program of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the service subscriber and the recipient are included within a plurality of the billing groups simultaneously.
6. The computer program of claim 1 , wherein when the service subscriber and the recipient are not included in a billing group, a pricing plan associated with the service subscriber is used to process the charge.
7. The computer program of claim 1 , wherein when the service subscriber and the recipient are members of a group of business conference participants, then a business conference group pricing plan dictates that conference organizers cover a percentage of the charge for the telecommunication.
8. The computer program of claim 1 , wherein a quota is associated with a pricing plan that is associated with the billing group and may be used to process the charge.
9. The computer program of claim 8 , wherein the pricing plan includes a separate quota for each subscriber of the plan, after which additional services consumption are not covered by the billing group.
10. The computer program of claim 8 , wherein the pricing plan indicates a global quota for all members of the billing group that is consumed on a first come, first served basis.
11. The computer program of claim 1 , wherein each pricing plan has an assigned priority, and the pricing plan with the highest priority is selected.
12. The computer program of claim 1 , wherein the pricing plan with the lowest overall price is selected.
13. The computer program of claim 1 , wherein the telecommunication includes a telephone call.
14. The computer program of claim 1 , wherein the telecommunication includes a data transmission.
15. The computer program of claim 1 , wherein the service subscriber and the recipient do not share the same service provider, and the telecommunication from the service subscriber to the recipient is made using a gateway with a toll-free number defined for the service provider of one of the service subscriber and the recipient, such that the telecommunication is charged based on a billing group associated with the gateway.
16. The computer program of claim 15 , wherein the determining and the processing are performed by the gateway.
17. A method, comprising:
receiving a telecommunication from a service subscriber to a recipient;
determining whether the service subscriber and the recipient are both included in a single billing group or are both included in a plurality of distinct billing groups;
processing a charge for the telecommunication using a pricing plan associated with the single billing group upon determining that the service subscriber and the recipient are both included in the single billing group, where the pricing plan dictates entities responsible for the charge for the telecommunication, based on one or more criteria; and
processing the charge for the telecommunication using the pricing plan selected according to a predefined policy upon determining that the service subscriber and the recipient are both included in each of a plurality of billing groups, where selecting the pricing plan includes:
identifying a plurality of priorities each assigned to a unique billing group of the plurality of billing groups,
selecting the pricing plan associated with the billing group having a highest priority when compared to the plurality of priorities, and
processing the charge for the telecommunication, utilizing the selected pricing plan.
18. A system, comprising:
a processor for:
receiving a telecommunication from a service subscriber to a recipient;
determining whether the service subscriber and the recipient are both included in a single billing group or are both included in a plurality of distinct billing groups;
processing a charge for the telecommunication using a pricing plan associated with the single billing group upon determining that the service subscriber and the recipient are both included in the single billing group, where the pricing plan dictates entities responsible for the charge for the telecommunication, based on one or more criteria; and
processing the charge for the telecommunication using the pricing plan selected according to a predefined policy upon determining that the service subscriber and the recipient are both included in each of a plurality of billing groups, where selecting the pricing plan includes:
identifying a plurality of priorities each assigned to a unique billing group of the plurality of billing groups,
selecting the pricing plan associated with the billing group having a highest priority when compared to the plurality of priorities, and
processing the charge for the telecommunication, utilizing the selected pricing plan.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the processor is coupled to memory via a bus.