Patent ID: 7792745
Filing Date: 2010-09-07
Classification: G06Q,H04L,H04M

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method to facilitate roaming between a plurality of network service providers, the method comprising: intercepting, in a first group of network service providers, authorization requests for accessing a network via the first group of network service providers, wherein the authorization requests are associated with service customers subscribed to ones of a second group of network service providers, wherein the authorization requests are not acceptable to the first group of network service providers; transmitting, from the first group of network service providers, the authorization requests to the second group of network service providers; receiving, in the first group of network service providers, authorization messages from the second group of network service providers, wherein the authorization messages cause the first group of network service providers to allow the service customers to access the network; transmitting, from the first group of service providers to an access broker system, accounting information indicating time durations of the accesses to the network, wherein the accounting information is associated with the service customers and with the first and second groups of network service providers; determining, in the access broker system, prices for allowing the service customers to access the network, wherein the determining includes, updating, in the access broker system, account payable balances and account receivable balances for the service customers and for the first and second groups network service providers, the updating based on the prices.