Patent ID: 7751801

Claim:
A method for providing a trial online service accessible by a plurality of mobile wireless devices of, comprising: storing a Service Trial Client software module in a user's mobile wireless device displaying a service trial icon in the mobile wireless device with a link to a Service Trial Server; wirelessly connecting the mobile wireless device to the Service Trial Server when the link is activated; wirelessly downloading to the mobile wireless device from the Service Trial Server a general catalog of available online services; displaying a Provider's Service Trial Icon of an online service listed in the catalog associated with a service provider of an online service, the Provider's service trial icon displayed with a link to trial-provisioning logic within the Service Trial Server to set up a trial service subscription to be provided by the service provider for a limited period of time for the user's mobile wireless device; activating the provider's service trial icon and its associated link to set up the trial service subscription using the Service Trial Server to be provided by the service provider; sending wireless addresses of one or more friends' wireless devices to the Service Trial Server in association with said activating step; sending the user's wireless network address from the Service Trial Server to the service provider; receiving an authorization code from the service provider that is forwarded by the Service Trial Server to the Service Trial Client software module in the user's mobile wireless device; distributing said authorization code and an invitation to join in the trial to said wireless addresses of the one or more friends; and accessing the service by the user's and the friends' mobile wireless devices during the user's trial period by: directly addressing the service provider by the user's mobile wireless device over the wireless network and sending the user's authorization code; sending by said service provider a query including the user's wireless address and authorization code to the Service Trial Server; checking by Said Service Trial Server to confirm that the user's trial period has not expired; responding by Said Service Trial Server to the service provider whether the user is still within the trial period; and if still within the trial period, proceeding by the service provider to provide the service to the user.