Patent ID: 7289787

Claim:
A method for calculating a running charge for a subscriber's use of a service in a telecommunication system, comprising the steps of: transmitting tariff rate information from a service operator to a charge calculation point of a first network of said telecommunication system, wherein the subscriber accesses a cross-network service provided by said service operator via said first network, and wherein a first clocking is defined within said first network, transmitting a second clocking from said service operator to said calculation point, said second clocking being set by said service operator and defining a minimum time interval for said charge calculation, wherein said second clocking determines an accounting precision of said charge calculation, and wherein said second clocking differs from said first clocking defined within said first network, determining a time of service usage via said minimum time interval and said second clocking and transmitting said time of usage to said calculation point, multiplying, at said calculation point, said tariff rate by said second clocking to arrive at a charge, summing a predetermined successive number of said charge to arrive at a running charge, said predetermined number corresponding to said second clocking and time of usage, and transmitting said running charge to the subscriber, wherein said running charge is based upon said accounting precision defined by said second clocking set by said service operator.