Patent ID: 7885661

Claim:
A communications system, comprising: a network associated with a mobile network operator and operative to support calls between mobile devices associated with subscribers of the mobile network operator and mobile devices associated with subscribers of a mobile virtual network operator; a mobile to mobile data store operatively associated with the network, the mobile to mobile data store comprising entries for mobile subscribers of the mobile network operator and entries for mobile subscribers of the mobile virtual network operator; a first network element that obtains a call rating key indicative of an agreed rating for a call between calling party and called party subscribers of one or both of the mobile network operator and the mobile virtual network operator according to the entries in the mobile to mobile data store for the calling and called party subscribers, the call rating key including a value indicating a discount amount either determined by a network operator to which both the calling party and called party are subscribed or agreed to by first and second mobile operators to which the calling party and called party are subscribed, respectively; and a rating component operatively associated with the network that rates the call at least partially according to the call rating key; wherein the mobile to mobile data store further comprises entries for mobile subscribers of another mobile network operator and wherein the first network element is operative to obtain a rating key according to the entries in the mobile to mobile data store for the mobile subscribers of the other mobile network operator and another mobile subscriber; and wherein the mobile to mobile data store further comprises entries for mobile subscribers of another mobile virtual network operator and wherein the first network element is operative to obtain a rating key according to the entries in the mobile to mobile data store for the mobile subscribers of the other mobile virtual network operator and another mobile subscriber.