Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A system for determining an individual phone rate for a user from an originating device to a destination device comprises a user calling pattern information module, a destination gateway provider module, a margin multiplier calculator module, and an individual rate calculator module. The user calling pattern information module stores information about the user such as the destinations the user calls or desires to call frequently and the percentage of time the user calls or plans to call the frequently called destinations. Such information may be inputted directly from the user or may be determined from the user's historical billing records. The destination gateway provider information module stores information relating to the cost and profit margin of the provider servicing the connection to the destination device. For example, the destination gateway provider may store such information as the fixed cost for establishing a connection to the destination device as well as the normal margin for a call to the destination device. The margin multiplier calculator module determines a margin multiplier for a call by the user to the destination device. The individual rate calculator module uses the margin multiplier, the destination gateway provider information, and the user calling pattern information to determine a call rate to the destination for the user. In one embodiment, the call rate to the destination is determined by multiplying the margin multiplier with the normal margin for the call to the destination and adding the result to the fixed cost of the call to the destination.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim