Patent ID: 8045544

Claim:
A method for billing a user for communication services, comprising: receiving a first service rate at a billing server comprising hardware from a first communication service provider for a first type of communication service provided by the first communication service provider; receiving, for a particular user, a first usage amount at the billing server from the first communication service provider, the first usage amount comprising an amount of the first type of communication service used by the user; determining, at the billing server, a first communication service charge for the user based on the first service rate and the first usage amount; receiving an equipment charge at the billing server from an equipment provider, the equipment charge comprising an amount to be charged the user for premise equipment provided to the user; receiving a broadband connection charge for the user from a broadband connection provider, the broadband connection charge comprising an amount to be charged the user for a broadband connection that couples premise equipment operated by the user to one or more communication service providers; and determining, at the billing server, a total charge based on the first communication service charge, the broadband connection charge, and the equipment charge.