Abstract: A method, system, and program for billing for order places from an origin device according to the current caller billing plan are provided. A billing plan associated with an authenticated caller identity of a caller using an origin device is accessed by a vendor order center during a call placed to the vendor order center. At least one account provider is specified in the billing plan. A selection of one from among multiple account providers is specified for the order. The caller then authorizes the order and a bill for the order is transferred according to the authenticated caller identifier and the authorization for the account provider selection, such that the vendor order center is enabled to bill for the order with limited authenticated account information.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for billing for service provided to an origin device according to the current caller billing plan. A trusted telephone network, including at least one service provider, receives a request for service from an origin device. The origin device is associated with a line number to be billed for according to a line subscriber billing plan. An identity of a caller requesting the service from the origin device is authenticated. Then, a billing plan associated with the authenticated caller identity is accessed and utilized to replace or supplement the line subscriber billing plan, such that billing for service provided at an origin device is specified according to the caller currently utilizing the origin device.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for managing use of experts by callers waiting within a hold queue are provided. First, a call on hold in a hold queue is transferred to an expert system responsive to a request by the caller to speak with an expert. Then, responsive to detecting an answer by a party at the expert system, an authentication of the identity of the answering party is required. If the authenticated identity of the answering party matches an expected expert identity, then the call is connected to the expert, such that the expert is required to authenticate an identity before providing service to a call from the hold queue.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products for informing a caller of a callee identity are disclosed that include: detecting a call receipt condition from a destination device at a trusted telephone network; brokering a connection between said destination device and an external server enabled to perform a callee identity authentication service; and responsive to receiving, from said external server, an authenticated callee identity of a callee utilizing said destination device, transferring said authenticated callee identity to an origin device, such that a caller initiating said call at said origin device is informed of an identity of a party answering said call.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for allowing callers to adjust in position within a hold queue are provided. An advancement token earned by a caller while waiting in a hold queue is detected. The advancement token is stored for redemption in a future call by the caller according to an authenticated identifier for the caller, wherein future redemption of the advancement token will cause adjustment of a waiting position. In particular, a caller in the call hold queue may earn advancement tokens by answering questions posed by other callers in the call hold queue, where the questions are answered in a manner such that the other callers do not need additional aid from a representative. In addition, a caller may redeem advancement tokens earned in a previous hold queue while waiting in current hold queue, where the redeemable advancement tokens are accessible across multiple call centers according to the caller identification.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for origin device initiated callee identification are provided. At an origin device, a voice utterance of a callee is detected from a destination device. A callee identity associated with the voice utterance is identified at the origin device, such that the callee identity is transmittable as an authenticated identity of the callee for a call. A caller may select whether to continue a call dependent upon whether the callee identity is preferable. In addition, an intermediary device may receive the callee identity and specify services available during the call according to the callee identity.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for estimating hold queue wait times are provided. Call times are individually estimated for multiple calls within a call center. In particular, call times may be estimated according to representative profiles, caller profiles, and current caller activity of the multiple calls within the call center. The identity of each caller may be authenticated and a caller profile accessed from a central server according to authenticated caller identities. The central server may be accessible to multiple call centers, where each call centers accesses and updates caller profiles according to a single caller identifier for each caller. In addition, call times estimates and factors utilized to calculate call time estimates may be output to a caller, preferably according to an output interface specified by the caller in the caller profile.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for time based regulation of access to callees are provided. An authenticated identity of a caller placing a call is preferably detected. Then, a communication link from the caller to a callee is only attempted if the authenticated identity of the caller is allowed access to the callee according to a schedule associated with an identity of the callee.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for intermediary device initiated callee identification are provided. A trusted telephone network detects a call receipt connection from a destination device. The trusted telephone network then brokers a connection between the destination device and an external server enabled to perform a callee identity authentication service. A voice utterance for a callee is received at the external server from the destination device. The server authenticates a callee identity associated with the voice utterance and transfer the authenticated callee identity to the trusted telephone network. The trusted telephone network then specifies services available for the call according to a callee profile for the authenticated caller identity.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for billing a caller for use of an origin device are provided. Usage, of at least one measurable element of a telephony device by an identified individual, is tracked, where the identified individual is distinct from an owner of the origin telephony device. A tariff for the tracked usage is transferred to an intermediary device. The intermediary device charges the tariff according to a billing plan for the identified individual, such that the owner is compensated for use of at least one measurable element of the owner's telephony device. Measurable elements may include the time the telephony device is in the identified individual's possession, the battery usage, and usage of the address book.

Abstract: A method for detecting unreliable response conditions in a plurality of back-end transaction processing systems also can include the steps of: reading a list of references to a plurality of subscribing e-commerce systems; generating and dispatching placebo transactions to each e-commerce system in the list; receiving responses to the dispatched placebo transactions; computing transaction latency data based upon when each placebo transaction is dispatched to a subscribing e-commerce system, and when a corresponding response is received; and, notifying individual subscribing e-commerce systems when computed transaction latency data for the individual subscribing e-commerce systems indicates an unreliable response condition in an associated back-end transaction processing system.

Abstract: A method, system, and program providing identification usage fraud protection are provided. A context for a use of an identification via a communication line is detected at a fraud protection service. The context for use of the identification is analyzed in view of multiple previous uses of the identification. A level of suspicion of fraudulent use of the identification is specified according to the analysis of the context. Depending on the level of suspicion, further use of the identification may require additional authentication or may be barred. The identification may include a user name, an account number, a password, or other identifier that may be utilized to represent an individual in accessing products and services.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for promoting use of experts to callers waiting within a hold queue are provided. First, use of experts by callers waiting in a hold queue is promoted by offering callers an incentive to speak to an expert while waiting to speak with an official representative. The caller continues to progress in the hold queue while speaking with an expert. In addition, the caller may receive an additional adjustment in the hold queue, a financial incentive, and a rewards points incentive, for interacting with an expert while holding. Second, use of experts by callers waiting in a hold queue is promoted by authenticating the identity of third party experts, in order to verify that an expert has the skills needed to help a caller and to provide the caller with the identity of the expert for accountability.

Abstract: A system, system, and program for identifying a call made or received on behalf of another are provided. In particular, a call request for a call is detected. A context for the call is requested from a context inference service, wherein the context indicates whether an on behalf of action is invoked for the call by the caller or callee. An on behalf of action may be requested by a caller or callee, automatically authorized by the on behalf of party, or inferred from other call context.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for identifying a context for a call are provided. Multiple context clues for a call are detected from a line number, a line subscriber profile, a caller profile, and other parameters associated with the call. A context for the call is identified from the context clues, such that at least one party to the call is enabled to receive the context of the call. Context for the call preferably includes at least one of who is placing a call, who is receiving a call, identities of devices utilized for the call, locations of those devices, the path of line number numbers accessed for a call, a billing plan for the call, and a subject matter of the call.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for managing caller profiles across multiple hold queues according to authenticated caller identifiers are provided. An identity of a caller of a call received at an on hold system is authenticated. The call is then placed in a hold queue. A caller profile associated with the identity of the caller is retrieved, such that services available to the caller while on hold are specified according to the caller profile. In particular, the caller profile is preferably retrieved from at least one caller profile server according to the caller identifier, where the at least one caller profile server is accessible to multiple on hold systems. Further, the identity of a caller may be authenticated by authenticating a voice sample received from the caller, such that a single identity for the caller may be authenticated at multiple call centers.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and program for originating a billed transaction at an origin telephony device are provided. A request to originate a billed transaction is received from an origin device. The identity of a callee answering a call originated by the origin device is authenticated. Responsive to receiving an acceptance of the call by the callee, an account accessed by the authenticated identity of said callee is billed to complete said billed transaction, such that the origin device is enabled to initiate the billed transaction charged to the callee. In particular, a service associated with the billed transaction may only available for a particular callee or selection of callees. In addition, the callee may elect which account to charge for the billed transaction. Further, the identity of the caller originating the call at the origin device is forwarded to the callee.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for time based regulation of use of a telephone line are provided. An identity of a first caller requesting use of a telephone line is detected. Use of the telephone line by the caller is allowed only if a schedule for the telephone line indicates that the identity is currently allowed for the telephone line.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for rating parties according to party identities are provided. A second party to a call may rate the first party to the call. For subsequent calls by the first party, the rating by the second party of the first party may be displayed to subsequent called parties. In addition, the ratings by subsequent called parties may be accumulated for the first party. Ratings may be stored according to the identity of the individual representing the first party, according to the identity of the business representing the first party, or according to the context of a call.

Abstract: Call forwarding a telephone number, including tracking recent locations of a user with the user's mobile personal communications device and a wireless telecommunications network; identifying a locale for the user in dependence upon the recent locations and upon historical location records for the user; and forwarding a telephone number in dependence upon the locale. In many embodiments, identifying a locale further comprises comparing historical location records and recent locations, wherein the historical location records are related to the locale through a locale identification field used as a foreign key.