Importance

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Abstract

A communication system is disclosed that provides usage-based billing for voice communications transmitted over a packet system. The communication system is comprised of a packet billing system that sniffs signaling transmitted between a signaling processor and a communication device, such as a switch or a router. If the packet billing system detects a call setup message in the signaling, then the packet billing system generates a start record. If the packet billing system detects a call complete message in the signaling, then the packet billing system generates an end record. The packet billing system transfers the start record and the end record to a conventional public switched telephone network (PSTN) billing system. The PSTN billing system generates a bill for the call based on the start record and the end record. The communication system advantageously provides usage-based billing for packet-based calls using the conventional PSTN billing system.

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First Claim