Patent ID: 8478235
Filing Date: 2013-07-02
Classification: G06Q,H04L,H04M,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method, for providing overdraft protection in connection with a communications account, comprising: receiving, by a server having a processor, a user instruction to add data blocks to a present data plan period of the communications account by a mechanism selected from a group consisting of: adjusting, by the server, in response to receiving the user instruction, the communications account to add additional data blocks to the communications account, including adjusting the communications account to add the additional data blocks in predetermined first size increments; charging, if the user instruction indicates that the user would like to be charged the first predetermined cost per additional data block for additional data blocks, a user fee corresponding to the first predetermined cost per additional data block; and adjusting, by the server, the communications account to provide additional data blocks in predetermined second size increments for a second predetermined cost per data block in response to usage of the communications account increasing above a threshold number of data blocks over the predetermined base number of data blocks.