Patent ID: 7761606

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for enabling a customer to customize a connection application that provides access to the Internet, the computer-implemented method comprising: presenting customization preferences for selection by the customer, wherein the customization preferences include one or more of points of presence for addition to a phonebook used with the connection application; and pricing plans associated with the customer; receiving the customization preferences from one of a plurality of customer systems associated with the customer, wherein the plurality of customer systems are configured to provide Internet access to end-user systems that are connected to the customer systems; generating, based on the customization preferences, a customized connection application, the customized connection application configured to connect ones of the end users to ones of the customer systems, the customized connection application being in the form of a self-extracting executable to automatically install the connection application; and digitally signing the customized connection application using a digital certificate, the customized connection application being for installation by ones of the end user systems that are associated with the one of the plurality of customer systems, the digital certificate obtained from a certificate authority, the digital certificate allowing for identification of a signer of the customized application and verification that the customized application is unmodified.