Providing toll free data in a wireless system

摘要

A wireless data-oriented service provides toll free data access to wireless users, such as GSM or CDMA-based users, when accessing specified content. The content provider pays for (“sponsors”) access to specific content for wireless users, often in conjunction with advertisement campaigns. In one embodiment a separate access point name is used when making the request to distinguish between sponsored data and conventional data access requests. In another embodiment, a portal proxy is used and sponsored data is distinguished from conventional data by the address of the destination web site. Wireless users accessing the sponsored content are not billed for usage, but rather the content provider is billed for usage. A data session management platform generates appropriate call data records indicating the session usage and transmits the records to reconcile accounts between the mobile network operator and the content provider.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
receiving a request via an apparatus from a mobile network operator serving a wireless user, the request is for sponsored data from a network device of a content provider, the request comprising an identification of the sponsored data in the network device; detecting, via the apparatus, a sponsored data campaign end date in the request and that the sponsored data campaign end date has not occurred; enabling provision of a generated second request, via the apparatus, to the network device requesting the sponsored data; receiving, via the apparatus, the sponsored data from the network device; enabling provision, via the apparatus, of the sponsored data to the wireless user; and generating, via the apparatus, a usage record for charging the content provider for providing the sponsored data.