Patent ID: 7818734

Claim:
A method of distributing a telecommunications software upgrade to user computer systems having a software application installed thereon, the method comprising: (a) determining via a telecommunications software distribution computer system that a software upgrade is to be performed relative to the telecommunications software application, wherein the telecommunications software application is installed upon a plurality of user computers and wherein the telecommunications software application is configured to provide telecommunications related services; (b) determining via the telecommunications software distribution computer system whether the telecommunications software upgrade is to be a forced upgrade or a recommended upgrade for a first user based on a first parameter related to the first user or the software upgrade wherein the first parameter relates to a level of call processing services that the first user subscribes to, the call processing services including at least a call processing service related to a voice call; (c) determining via the software distribution computer system whether the software upgrade is to be a forced upgrade or a recommended upgrade for a second user based on a second parameter related to the second user or the software upgrade, wherein the second parameter relates to a level of call processing services that the second user subscribes to, the call processing services that the second user subscribes to including at least a call processing service related to a voice call; and (d) determining via the telecommunications software distribution computer system if a telecommunications software upgrade file is to be downloaded to a first user computer system and a second user computer system using a trickle mode or a burst mode, wherein the telecommunications software upgrade is performed with respect to the first user based at least in part on determinations made in (a), (b), or (d), and wherein the telecommunications software upgrade is performed with respect to the second user based at least in part on determinations made in (a), (c), or (d).