A method and system for automatically generating telephone bills that include customer defined or requested billing information. Customer specific data including billing parameters for a customer is stored. A record describing a telephone call between the customer and a party is generated at a network switch. The record is received at a billing analysis system, the billing information relating to the party is determined using the record and at least one billing parameter and a telephone bill for the customer including billing information relating to the party is generated. In one embodiment of the present invention, customer specific data entries including at least one billing parameter and customer information are stored for each of a plurality of a customers and a telephone bill for the first customer including billing information relating to the second customer is generated based on a billing parameter for the first customer and customer information for the second customer. In another embodiment of the present invention, customer specific data including at least one billing parameter and caller information is stored for a customer and a telephone bill for the customer including billing information relating to the caller is generated based on a billing parameter and the caller information.
The present invention, referred to herein as Personal Billing Selection, enables a telecommunications service subscriber to designate billing options for outgoing and incoming calls on a per-call basis, even if the subscriber's account includes several numbers and/or addresses. The present invention also preferably allows users to designate default billing accounts on a per-number basis. The subscriber may have a plurality of service accounts established in a database such as service profile. Calls for personal use and calls for other uses (e.g., business calls, separate client accounts, etc.) may be distinguished on a per-call basis by the call originator for outgoing calls or by the call recipient for incoming calls if the recipient is billed for incoming calls. For both outgoing and incoming calls, network usage is automatically allocated to the appropriate service account.
A service for presenting billing information to a customer according to a hierarchal structure defined by the customer. The customer assigns telephone numbers to company units and defines how each of the units relate to each other in the hierarchal structure. The billing information associated with each assigned telephone number is processed in accordance with the hierarchal structure. Thereafter, the bill is presented to the customer.
A telecommunications service implements an account code reporting feature by storing an account code associated with a subscriber at a service control point (SCP) in the public switched telephone network (PSTN). When a call is initiated from the subscriber's terminal, the SCP receives outgoing call data, including the subscriber's telephone number, a called party number and an account code entered from the subscriber's terminal. The SCP determines whether the call is subject to the account code reporting service and, if so, stores the call data. The SCP transmits the call data to a service management system accessible by the subscriber via a graphical user interface through a packet switched data network and an interactive voice response through the PSTN. The call is subject to the account code reporting service when the called party number is in the same local access and transport area as the subscriber's telephone number.
A service for presenting billing information to a customer according to a hierarchal structure defined by the customer. The customer assigns telephone numbers to company units and defines how each of the units relate to each other in the hierarchal structure. The billing information associated with each assigned telephone number is processed in accordance with the hierarchal structure. Thereafter, the bill is presented to the customer.
However, the current call detail record system has certain drawbacks. For example, specific billing information is ordinarily tracked and available for calls made from one local access and transport area (LATA) to another (i.e., interLATA or long distance calls). Billing and usage information for calls within the same LATA (i.e., intraLATA or local calls), including local toll calls, are not maintained by the network or otherwise accessible to the network provider and customers. Therefore, the customers are not able to track intraLATA calls in the same manner as interLATA calls. For example, customers may desire identifying codes to be entered next to each charged call in order to facilitate subsequent billing of the customers' respective clients.
