System and method for multiparty billing of network services

A method of communicating originating network information for multiparty billing of network services, comprising:

• inserting into a service request an originating network attribute and an encrypted originating network attribute encrypted with the private-key of a private-public key pair of an originating network operator;
• and
• making the respective public-key accessible only to authorized parties on a public-key server for decryption and verification of the encrypted originating network attribute by an authorized party receiving the service request.

A method of communicating originating network information for multiparty billing of network services, comprising:

• receiving a service request containing an originating network attribute and an encrypted originating network attribute encrypted with the private-key of a private-public key pair associated with an originating network operator;
• extracting the originating network attribute, accessing a public-key server for look up of a respective public-key, decrypting and verifying the encrypted originating network attribute, and forwarding of the service request for completion.

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A network element in an originating network of a system for transmitting originating network information from an originating network to a terminating network for multiparty billing of telecommunications services, comprising:

• means or inserting into a service request a network attribute pair comprising a clear text attribute and an encrypted attribute encrypted with a private-key of a private-public key pair of the originating network operator.

A network element in a terminating network of a system for transmitting information from an originating network to a terminating network for multiparty billing of telecommunications services, comprising:

• means for receiving a service request containing originating network identification comprising a network attribute pair comprising a clear text network attribute and an encrypted network attribute encrypted with a private-key of a private-public key pair of an originating network operator;
• a secure communication link to a key server accessible to authorized parties for look-up of respective public-key of the originating network operator, and,
• processing means for performing steps of extracting the clear text originating network attribute, looking up the respective public key, decrypting of the encrypted network attribute, comparing of the clear text network attribute and the decrypted network attribute, and if there is a match between the clear text network attribute and decrypted network attribute, verifying the originating network identification, forwarding the service request for completion, otherwise refusing or redirecting the service request.

A key server for a system for transmitting originating network information from an originating network to a terminating network for multiparty billing of telecommunications services, wherein the key server comprises part of a virtual private network (VPN) or other secure protected network providing for a secure communication link with originating network operators and authorized agents;

• thereof, means for responding to key requests from a key generator for storing and updating public-keys of private-public key pairs of originating network operators, each public-key being associated with an originating network identification of a respective originating network operator;
• and
• means for responding to key queries providing access for look-up and retrieval of a public-key of a specific originating network operator only to authorized parties having a billing relationship with the specific originating network operator.

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