Patent ID: 7742586

Claim:
A method for processing calls between parties, including a calling party and a called party, comprising: receiving a call placed by the calling party to the called party, wherein, a first of the parties is a subscriber to a first type of call-processing service and has subscribed to a first level of service with respect to the first type of call-processing service, a second of the parties is a subscriber to the first type call-processing service and has subscribed to a second level of service with respect to the first type of call-processing service, wherein the second level of service is different than the first level of service, and the first type of call processing service is provided to both the first of the parties and the second of the parties by the same service provider; determining an enhanced service level with respect to the first type of call processing service for the first of the parties based at least in part on the second level of service to which the second party is entitled to with respect to the first type of call-processing service; providing the enhanced service level as a trial to at least the party having a relatively lower level of service; receiving a call placed by a third party to the called party; and if the third party is a non-subscriber with respect to the same service provider, not providing the enhanced service level to the non-subscribing third party.