Patent ID: 8570908

Claim:
A method performed by a network system communicatively coupled to a first end-user device over a wireless access network, the network system capable of providing at least a data service to the first end-user device over the wireless access network, the method comprising: establishing a secure communication link between the network system and the first end-user device over the wireless access network, wherein usage of the wireless access network associated with communication over the secure communication link is not charged to a user of the first end-user device; receiving, from the first end-user device over the secure communication link, a service information request from the first end-user device, the service information request comprising one or more credentials, wherein the one or more credentials identify at least (i) an aspect of the first end-user device, (ii) the user of the first end-user device, or (iii) both (i) and (ii); using at least a first portion of the one or more credentials, identifying a device group with which the first end-user device is already associated or with which to associate the first end-user device, the device group comprising a second end-user device, the device group being managed by a device group management entity that is different from a network system operator associated with the network system; using at least a second portion of the one or more credentials, identifying one or more candidate service plans for enabling the network system to provide the data service to the first end-user device over the wireless access network, the one or more candidate service plans comprising a group service plan associated with or for association with the device group; sending, to the first end-user device over the secure communication link, information about the one or more candidate service plans; and obtaining, from the end-user device over the secure communication link, a response to the information about the one or more candidate service plans, the response being based on an input obtained from a user of the end-user device through a user interface of the end-user device, wherein the response identifies at least an aspect of a particular service plan of the one or more candidate service plans.