Abstract: A method to facilitate the financial settlement of service access transactions between multiple parties commences with the automatic collection of data concerning multiple transactions from respective service providers (e.g., ISPs). The multiple transactions are between the multiple service providers and multiple service customers. Respective transaction values are automatically determined for each of the multiple transactions. Account payable balances are automatically updated for the multiple service providers, and account receivable balances are automatically updated for the service customers based on the respective transaction values for each of the multiple transactions.

Abstract: A method and system is provided to secure a connection application in a multi-party access environment including a plurality of service providers. The method includes generating a customized connection application, and cryptographically signing the customized connection application, the customized connection application being for installation on a client machine. In certain embodiments, the customized connection application is in the form of a self-extracting executable to automatically install the connection application on the client machine. The customized connection application may be signed using Authenticode technology.

Abstract: A system and method is provided to verify configuration of a client access device requesting access to a network by establishing a communications link between a network access system and the client access device to authenticate and authorize the client access device and a user associated with the client access device. The network access system further receives client device configuration data from the client access device over the communications link during an authentication and authorization exchange and processes the client device configuration data to determine if the client access device will be granted access to the network.

Abstract: A system and method is provided to manage access transactions associated with a plurality of parties in a multi-party service access environment. The method may be executed at a transaction broker and comprise providing a plurality of pricing plans, each party being associated with at least one of the plurality of pricing plans; and providing a plurality of pricing relationships associated with each pricing plan, each pricing relationship defining a payer/payee relationships between at least two parties to the multi-party service access environment. The method may comprise generating a graphic user interface that allows functionality selected from the group including adding a pricing plan, editing a pricing plan, copying a pricing plan, and removing a pricing plan. In one embodiment, the method comprises associating at least one pricing map with each pricing group, the at least one pricing group may include a plurality of network access points that have substantially similar pricing characteristics.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for managing a network connection application. The method includes assigning a plurality of selection criteria to each connection point wherein each selection criteria bearing an associated selection weight. The connection points are then arranged in a prioritized order in a priority list used by the connection application to connect to any one of the connection points. The prioritized order is based on the selection criteria and associated selection weights. The prioritized list is then made available for use by the connection application. Each selection criteria may have an associated weight bias that influences the priority of the connection point. In certain embodiments, criteria and weight bias on the connection application may be updated or modified.

Abstract: A method of, and system for, communicating data via a network access point is provided. The method includes receiving an authentication request from a client device at the access point wherein the access request includes identification credentials. The authentication request is then communicated to an authentication server and data associated with the authentication request is retrieved. A reply message is communicated to the access point that includes the data and that rejects the authentication request. The access point may service a wireless hotspot and, thus, a client device in the hotspot may identify the particular hotspot with which it is communicating.

Abstract: A method and system are provided of updating a client file of a client application in a multi-party access environment including a plurality of service providers. The method includes generating at least one customized client update file, the client update file being customized for a client application of at least one of a plurality of users in the multi-party environment. Thereafter a secured signature file associated with the client update file is generated and communicated with the client update file to the plurality of web servers. At various points around the globe, the secured signature file and the client file update may be downloaded to update the client application. The secured signature file may be verified before installing the client update file.

Abstract: A method and system is provided to secure a connection application in a multi-party access environment including a plurality of service providers. The method includes generating a customized connection application, and cryptographically signing the customized connection application, the customized connection application being for installation on a client machine. In certain embodiments, the customized connection application is in the form of a self-extracting executable to automatically install the connection application on the client machine. The customized connection application may be signed using Authenticode technology.

Abstract: A method to facilitate the financial settlement of service access transactions between multiple parties commences with the automatic collection of data concerning multiple transactions from respective service providers (e.g., ISPs). The multiple transactions are between the multiple service providers and multiple service customers. Respective transaction values are automatically determined for each of the multiple transactions. Account payable balances are automatically updated for the multiple service providers, and account receivable balances are automatically updated for the service customers based on the respective transaction values for each of the multiple transactions.

Abstract: A method of brokering a service access transaction includes facilitating service access via a customer, via a first service provider of a plurality of service providers. A transaction record is automatically created to record the service access at a first data source (e.g., a transaction server). The transaction record is automatically communicated from a data source to a settlement system to settle a service access transaction. At the settlement system, a sell rate and a buy rate are automatically determined for the service access transaction reflected in the transaction record. The sell rate is the rate charged for the service access by an access broker and is determined utilizing a customer and/or a location identifier for a customer recorded in the transaction record. The buy rate is the rate at which the access broker purchases service access for re-sale to customers.

Abstract: A method of normalizing transaction data pertaining to an access to a service provided by a service provider normalizes transaction data retrieved from a number of transaction data sources in the form of transaction servers that serve to broker access authorization between a first service provider and a second service provider. A dedicated load process is instantiated at a transaction broker for each of the multiple transaction data sources. Transaction data is retrieved from the multiple transaction data sources, each dedicated load process operating to load transaction data from an associated transaction data source.