System and method for determining a subscriber's zone information

1. In a system serving multiple wireless devices wherein the devices communicate with at least one server computer via an internet protocol (IP)-based wireless local area network (WLAN), a method associated with the providing of services, the method comprising:

defining multiple service zones, wherein each service zone includes one or more access points associated with one or more IP-based WLANs;

storing the defined multiple service zones;

assigning at least one service type for each of the multiple service zones,

wherein some of the service types for some of the service zones differ from service types for other service zones, and

wherein at least one of the service types is not related to billing;

storing the service types assigned to each of the multiple service zones;

determining that one of the multiple devices is operating within one of the multiple service zones,

wherein the one device is configured to communicate over the IP-based WLANs and over a cellular phone network under a wireless protocol;

associating the one device with the one service zone; and,

providing to the one device at least one of the service types assigned to the one service zone in which the one device is operating.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the devices employ at least a portion of an Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA), Generic Access Network (GAN), or Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) protocol to communicate with the WLAN, and wherein the one device is identified using an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number, a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) number, or a mobile phone number.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the service types assigned to the one service zone include billing rates, delivery of certain content, advertisements, or rules and wherein the certain content is based at least in part on a geographical location associated with a service zone or a time of day or day of week.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the rules relate to filtering, screening, or security for providing data or communications to or from wireless devices in a service zone.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the access points is identified using an IP address, a MAC address, a proximate Cellsite Global Indicator (COI), or a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN).

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one service zone includes a plurality of noncontiguous access points scattered throughout a geographical region.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein storing the defined multiple service zones includes storing a unique zone number integer field, wherein at least some of the definitions of the multiple service zones include service zone text and icon indicators, and wherein the service zone text and icon indicators include displayable alphanumeric strings and graphical icons sent to the one device.

8. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium carrying a computer program to map network locations to mobile service zones, the computer program performing a method comprising:

storing definitions of multiple service zones in a database,

wherein each of the multiple service zone includes one or more network locations for one or more IP-based WLANs,

wherein the database is keyed to a unique zone number integer field,

wherein at least some of the definitions of the multiple service zones in the database include service zone test and icon indicators, and

wherein the service zone text and icon indicators include displayable alphanumeric strings and graphical icons sent to mobile telecommunications devices;

obtaining information of a specific network location associated with a mobile telecommunications device,

wherein the mobile telecommunications device is configured for wireless voice communications over both a cellular network and an IP-based computer network, and

wherein the mobile telecommunications device employs at least a portion of an Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA), Generic Access Network (GAN), or Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) protocol to communicate with an IP-based WLAN; and

mapping the specific network location to one of the predefined service zones.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the specific network location is identified using an IP address, a MAC address, a proximate Cellsite Global Indicator (CGI), or a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN).

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein one of the service zones includes a plurality of non-overlapping network locations scattered throughout a geographical region.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , the method further comprising:

storing the mapping in the database;

associating the mobile telecommunications device with the one service zone; and

storing the association in the database.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the mobile telecommunications device is identified using an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number, a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) number, or a mobile phone number.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the database stores for each service zone:

a Service Type Field that includes a unique service zone integer and reflects different service types, and

a Zone Number Field as a foreign key that reflects either single or multiple service zones associated with a single Service Type.

14. An apparatus for providing services, the apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

identifying multiple service zones, wherein each service zone includes one or more access points associated with one or more internet protocol (IP)-based wireless local area networks (WLANs);

assigning at least one service type for each of the multiple service zones,

wherein some of the service types for some of the service zones differ from service types for other service zones, and

wherein at least one of the service types is not related to billing;

determining that one of multiple devices is operating within one of the multiple service zones,

wherein the one device is configured to communicate over the IP-based WLANs and over a cellular phone network under a wireless protocol;

associating the one device with the one service zone; and,

providing to the one device at least one of the service types assigned to the one service zone in which the one device is operating.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the one device employs at least a portion of an Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA), Generic Access Network (GAN), or Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) protocol to communicate with a WLAN, and wherein the one device is identified using an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number, a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) number, or a mobile phone number.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the service types assigned to the one service zone include billing rates, delivery of certain content, advertisements, or rules, and wherein the certain content is based at least in part on a geographical location associated with a service zone or a time of day or day of week.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the rules relate to filtering, screening, or security for providing data or communications to or from wireless devices in a service zone.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein each of the access points is identified using an IP address, a MAC address, a proximate Cellsite Global Indicator (COI), or a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN).

19. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the one service zone includes a plurality of noncontiguous access points scattered throughout a geographical region.

20. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the one device comprises a mobile telecommunications device associated with an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number, a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) number, or a mobile phone number.