Patent ID: 7239862

Claim:
A method of managing data communication through a wireless network as a prepaid service, the method comprising steps of: receiving, at a data communication processing element of the wireless network customer, a call for a data communication for a customer's wireless communication device; sending identification information of the customer from the data communication processing element to an administration system of the wireless network; receiving a call access authorization for the customer, from the administration system; the call access authorization, received from the administration system, including a record for the customer indicating an amount of prepaid units available for use by the customer; providing data communication for the call for the customer's device through the wireless network, including through the data communication processing element; monitoring, at the data communication processing element, volume of the data communication for the call for the customer's device through the wireless network; at the data communication processing element, decrementing available prepaid units from the amount of prepaid units available for use by the customer, based on the monitored volume of the data communication for the call for the customer's device through the wireless network; upon the decremented available prepaid units reaching a predetermined level, sending a notification to the administration system that the predetermined level has been reached with regard to prepaid units available for use by the customer; receiving processing instructions from the administration system in the data communication processing element; and further processing the data communication for the call for the customer's device through the wireless network, at the data communication processing element, in accord with the received instructions.