Patent ID: 8099076
Filing Date: 2012-01-17
Classification: G06Q,H04M,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method for setting up and billing a roaming communications connection between a first, calling subscriber of a first communications network and a second, called subscriber of the first or a second communications network, who is registered in a roaming communications network, the method comprising: prior to setting up the roaming communications connection: transmitting a message from the first subscriber to a billing system of the first communications network, wherein said message is stored in a billing database of the billing systems of the first and second communication networks and contains a declaration of the first subscriber to assume the costs of any roaming connections that are incoming to the second subscriber; informing the second subscriber, who is to profit from the declaration of the first subscriber, that costs for calls that the second subscriber receives abroad will be borne by the first subscriber; effecting a forced deactivation of caller ID blocking while the declaration of assumption of costs by the first subscriber is active; during or after setting up the roaming communications connection: generating billing data records concerning accrued costs of the roaming connection by the billing systems of the first and second communications networks; exchanging the billing data records between the billing systems of the first and second communications networks; and charging the subscribers the costs of the roaming connection on the basis of the billing data records, wherein the costs for a connection that originates from the first, calling subscriber and that is incoming to the second, called subscriber are charged exclusively to the first subscriber under conditions individually agreed upon beforehand in said message.