Abstract: This invention relates to an enhanced method and apparatus for providing notification to a telecommunications customer using prepaid service that his/her prepaid balance is below a pre-specified threshold. The number of notifications is limited to a specified number within a specified interval. Advantageously, the customer is spared the nuisance o receiving multiple notifications when he/she is already aware of the problem.

Abstract: This invention relates to an enhanced method and apparatus for providing notification to a telecommunications customer using prepaid service that his/her prepaid balance is below a pre-specified threshold. The number of notifications is limited to a specified number within a specified interval. Advantageously, the customer is spared the nuisance o receiving multiple notifications when he/she is already aware of the problem.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for replenishing subscriber accounts in an intelligent network-based e-commerce system 100 using credit/debit cards (FIG. 2) or scratch cards (FIG. 3). An end user sends a recharge request to a client application 108-120. The recharge includes information comprising the recharge amount, an identifier of the prepaid account, and indicia of one the credit card, debit card or scratch card for funding the recharge amount. The client application forwards the information to a gateway server 104 which, in turn, sends the information to a service control point (SCP) 122. In the embodiment using a credit/debit card, the SCP determines validity of the account and authorization to fund the recharge amount using the credit/debit card. In the embodiment using a scratch card, the SCP determines validity of the account and validity of the scratch card. Validity of the scratch card is determined by querying a recharge card management system (RCMS).

Abstract: An intelligent network-based e-commerce system 100 contains one or more service control points (SCPs) 122 for maintaining account information associated with a plurality of prepaid subscribers. The account information is accessible by service providers 108-120 or subscribers via a gateway server 104. The electronic commerce system supports transactions including subscriber authentication, balance request operations, debit request operations and credit request operations.

Abstract: An intelligent network-based e-commerce system 100 computes costs and bills customers for rated transactions based on service type and/or content. A gateway device such as a gateway server 104 or short message service center (SMSC) 404 receives costing/billing requests (or “rated debit requests”) and forwards the requests to one or more service control points (SCPs) 122. The SCPs maintain subscriber accounts for one or more subscribers and maintain a tariff table having cost/rate information associated with one or more services. Upon receiving the costing/billing request, an SCP consults the tariff table to determine the cost/rate information corresponding to the service type and/or content identified in the rated debit request and computes the cost of the service based on the rate information. In one embodiment, the SCP further determines an eligibility of the subscriber account to be billed for the service (i.e.