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 product 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 that the service subscriber and the recipient are both included in a plurality of billing groups; and
computer code for processing a charge for the telecommunication using a pricing plan selected according to a predefined policy when the service subscriber and the recipient are both included in the 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 product of claim 1 , wherein the telecommunication is made from a mobile device.
3. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the billing group includes a group of subscribers with shared interests.
4. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the billing group is business oriented.
5. The computer program product 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 product 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 product 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 product 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 product 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 product 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 product 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 product of claim 1 , wherein the pricing plan with the lowest overall price is selected.
13. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the telecommunication includes a telephone call.
14. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the telecommunication includes a data transmission.
15. A method, comprising:
receiving a telecommunication from a service subscriber to a recipient;
determining that the service subscriber and the recipient are both included in a plurality of billing groups; and
processing a charge for the telecommunication using a pricing plan selected according to a predefined policy when the service subscriber and the recipient are both included in the 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.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the telecommunication is made from a mobile device.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the billing group includes a group of subscribers with shared interests.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the billing group is business oriented.
19. The method of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the service subscriber and the recipient are included within a plurality of the billing groups simultaneously.
20. A system, comprising:
a processor for:
receiving a telecommunication from a service subscriber to a recipient;
determining that the service subscriber and the recipient are both included in a plurality of billing groups; and
processing a charge for the telecommunication using a pricing plan selected according to a predefined policy when the service subscriber and the recipient are both included in the 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.