Method of billing services, server and telecommunication systems

A method according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that the billing transaction is performed after handshaking and controlled by the billing server (BS1-3) selected.

A communications system which comprises client devices, servers (SPS) of service providers and billing servers (BS1-3), which provide billing services, characterized in that

• the billing server (BS1-3) or a separate directory server is arranged to transmit address data and service attributes of billing services to the service provider's server (SPS) in an advertising message,
• the service provider's server (SPS) is arranged to select one billing service from among the advertised billing servers (BS1-3) for the billing transaction of a client according to the parameters given by the client or said service parameters or offer advertised billing services for the client to select,
• the service provider's server (SPS) is arranged to initiate the billing transaction with the billing server (BS1-3) of the selected billing service by means of said address data and service attributes.

A server of a service provider in a communications system, which comprises client devices, servers (SPS) of service providers and billing servers (BS1-3), which provide billing services, characterized in that

• for the billing transactions of clients the server (SPS) uses billing services the address data and service attributes of which the server has received in advertising messages transmitted to the server,
• the server (SPS) is arranged to select one billing service from among the advertised billing servers (BS1-3) for the billing transaction of a client on the basis of the parameters given by the client and said service attributes or offer advertised billing services for the client to select,
• the server (SPS) is arranged to initiate a billing transaction with the billing server (BS1-3) of the selected billing service by means of said address data and service attributes.

A server according to any one of claims 17 to 21, characterized in that the server (SPS) configures with the payment or billing protocol supported by the billing server (BS1-3) on the basis of said service attributes received in the advertising message and/or on the basis of the data, file or software obtained after handshaking.

A server of a service provider in a telecommunication system, which comprises client devices, servers (SPS) of service providers and billing servers (BS1-3), which provide billing services, characterized in that

• for the billing transactions of clients the server (SPS) uses the billing services the address data and service attributes of which the server has received in advertising messages transmitted to it,
• the server (SPS) is arranged to utilize said address data and service attributes to generate or download an electronic invoice form which corresponds to the requirements of a billing service and transfer said electronic invoice provided with its own billing information and a link directed to said billing service or transfer said electronic invoice provided with the address of the billing service to the client device for the client to fill in and for forwarding to said billing service.