Patent ID: 8406748

Claim:
A system, comprising: one or more processors of one or more network elements configured to: detect a requested access to an ambient service over a wireless network, the requested access being associated with a communications device communicatively coupled to the system over the wireless network, the ambient service providing sponsored access to a network destination managed by or on behalf of an ambient service partner, wherein the sponsored access comprises a usage of the wireless network associated with the ambient service that is sponsored by a sponsor entity, wherein (1) if the communications device is associated with a user service plan enabling non-sponsored access to a service over the wireless network, the sponsor entity is an entity other than a first entity that is financially responsible for the user service plan, or (2) if the communications device is not associated with the user service plan, the sponsor entity is an entity other than a user of the communications device, obtain, based on the requested access, an identifier associated with the communications device or the wireless network, determine, based on the identifier, whether the requested access is within an ambient service profile, the ambient service profile for controlling access by the communications device to the ambient service over the wireless network, the ambient service profile comprising at least one service policy setting, when the requested access is within the ambient service profile, allow the requested access, and when the requested access is not within the ambient service profile, prevent the requested access; and memory of the one or more network elements coupled to the one or more processors and configured to provide the one or more processors with instructions.