Methods and apparatus for alternative billing of voice over internet protocol (VoIP) services

摘要

Methods and apparatus for alternative billing of VoIP services are disclosed. An example method comprises receiving an indication at a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) device that a call placed from the VoIP user device is blocked, and sending a VoIP protocol message containing billing information received at the VoIP user device to an alternative billing server. Another disclosed example method comprises determining at a VoIP call session control function (CSCF) server that a VoIP session is blocked, and providing a prompt at a VoIP user device to obtain billing information for the VoIP session.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
at a voice over Internet Protocol user device, receiving a request from a calling party to place a call to a destination of a voice over Internet Protocol service provider network, the network configured to not automatically establish calls to the destination from the voice over Internet Protocol device; based on a determination by a billing server whether the voice over Internet Protocol user device is a smart voice over Internet Protocol device capable of prompting the calling party on behalf of the billing server, receiving from a call session control function server in the service provider network an indication that a call placed from the voice over Internet Protocol user device is blocked and one of A) receiving an instruction to be executed to cause a billing agent of the voice over Internet Protocol user device to prompt for billing information from the calling party when the voice over Internet Protocol user device is a smart voice over Internet Protocol device capable of prompting the calling party on behalf of the billing server and B) receiving a call to the voice over Internet Protocol user device to collect billing information from the calling party when the voice over Internet Protocol user device is not the smart voice over Internet Protocol device capable of prompting the calling party on behalf of the billing server; sending a voice over Internet Protocol protocol message containing the billing information received from the calling party at the voice over Internet Protocol user device to the billing server, financial responsibility for the call to be changed by the billing server from an owner of the voice over Internet Protocol user device, an operator of the voice over Internet Protocol user device, or a lessee of the voice over Internet Protocol user device to a new responsible party based on the billing information received from the calling party, the calling party being different from the owner of the voice over Internet Protocol user device, the operator of the voice over Internet Protocol user device, and the lessee of the voice over Internet Protocol user device; and establishing the call when the call session control function server receives an indication that the call is unblocked.