Patent ID: 7110512

Claim:
A method of providing prepaid local telephone services to a subscriber having a telecommunications device connected to a subscriber line and in communication with a telephone network via the subscriber line, the method comprising: establishing a subscriber account for the subscriber on the prepaid local telephone service network, wherein establishing the subscriber account comprises: receiving a teleohone call at the prepaid local telephone service network from the subscriber; associating the subscriber account at the prepaid local telephone service network with a telephone number of the subscriber; receiving payment information from the subscriber; and determining the prepaid local telephone service period for the subscriber account based on the payment information from the subscriber; communicating instructions to a local exchange carrier from a prepaid local telephone service network to activate prepaid local telephone services for the subscriber; monitoring a prepaid local telephone service period for the subscriber at the prepaid local telephone service network independently of telephone call activity by the subscriber at the local exchange carrier, wherein the prepaid local telephone service network monitors the prepaid local telephone service period without monitoring a duration of individual telephone calls from the telecommunications device of the subscriber; receiving a telephone call at the prepaid local telephone service network from the subscriber prior to expiration of the prepaid local telephone service period; automatically identifying the subscriber account for the subscriber based on the telephone number of the subscriber; receiving renewal payment information from the subscriber; updating the subscriber account to establish a new prepaid local telephone service period based on the renewal payment information; and monitoring the subscriber account at the prepaid local telephone service network independently of telephone call activity by the subscriber at the local exchange carrier, wherein the prepaid local telephone service network only communicates with the local exchange carrier if the subscriber fails to renew the subscriber account for another prepaid local telephone service period.