METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ESTABLISHING A CALL THROUGH A PACKET BASED NETWORK

摘要

A method and apparatus for establishing a collect call originated through a packet based network is provided. In accordance with various embodiments of the invention, a system is described that facilitates voice communication between a calling party and a party to be called while the costs of the communication session are charged to the called party. In one embodiment, the called party is queried as to whether they wish to accept the costs associated with the pending voice communication session, prior to the two parties being placed in voice communication with each other. In another embodiment, services are provided for generating an electronic offer to participate in a voice communication session with a destination party, with the offer being contingent upon the satisfaction of a set of one or more offeror-stipulated conditions. The method further including provision of services for receiving an indication from an offeree via a data network indicating acceptance of the offer and establishing the voice communication session between the afferee and the destination party in conformance with at least a subset of the one or more offeror-stipulated conditions.