Patent ID: 7123703

Claim:
A method for threshold-value-related control of at least one service in a data or telecommunication system, comprising: a) setting at least one threshold value for a prepaid credit, which is administered at a central point of the system, for the payment of the service; b) setting at least one action which includes at least control of a scope of service, within the framework of the service, which is to be triggered at the threshold value; c) administering all threshold values, actions and conditions for a plurality of users at a central point of a computer network; d) signaling if credit exceeds or falls below the threshold value; and e) triggering the at least one action in response to the signal, wherein a plurality of threshold values each trigger at least one action and an assignment of at least one of the actions and conditions to the threshold values is made in such a way that, when the credit exceeds or falls below successive threshold values, the scope of services other than the service currently being used are progressively restricted or extended.