Wireless telecommunication system with prepaid architecture

A wireless telecommunication system having a prepaid service architecture responsive to Data Message Handier (DMH) formatted messages for servicing a prepaid subscriber having a prepaid service credit balance, including:

• (a) a switching node connected to a plurality of base stations in radio frequency communication with said prepaid subscriber, said switching node including:
• (i) call control means for permitting a call to be set up with the prepaid subscriber when the prepaid service credit balance exists and to terminating said call when the prepaid service credit balance is nil, and
• (ii) detailed call event generation means for continually generating real-time call event DMH formatted messages related to call features selected by the prepaid subscriber during the call and forwarding the real-time call event DMH formatted messages to a prepaid administrative network;
• (b) the prepaid administrative network connected with the switching node and the home location register including:
• (i) prepaid information storage means for storing the prepaid service credit balance of the prepaid subscriber, and,
• (ii) rate determining means for generating at call set up an initial charge debiting rate used during the call to reduce the prepaid service credit balance, and the rate determining means in response to the real-time call event DMH formatted messages received from the detailed call event generation means revising the initial charge debiting rate to generate a real-time debiting rate associated with the selected call feature used during the call to reduce the prepaid service credit balance.

A method for servicing a prepaid subscriber having a prepaid service credit balance in a wireless telecommunication system a switching node connected to a plurality of base stations in radio frequency communication with said prepaid subscriber and a prepaid administrative network connected with the switching node, the method including the steps of:

• the switching node permitting a call to be set up with the prepaid subscriber when the prepaid service credit balance exists and terminating said call when the prepaid service credit balance is nil,
• the switching node generating real-time call event messages related to call features selected by the prepaid subscriber during the call and forwarding the real-time call event messages to the prepaid administrative network;
• and,
• the prepaid administrative network storing the prepaid service credit balance of the prepaid subscriber, and,
• the prepaid administrative network generating at call set up an initial charge debiting rate used during the call to reduce the prepaid service credit balance, and in response to the real-time call event messages received from the detailed call event generation means revising the initial charge debiting rate to generate a real-time debiting rate associated with the selected call feature used during the call to reduce the prepaid service credit balance.