Method for displaying roaming charge rate on mobile station

A method for displaying a roaming charge rate on a mobile station, the mobile station being associated with a wireless network and a subscriber to wireless services from a wireless service provider associated with the wireless network, the method including the steps:

• a) while the mobile station is located in a current geographic area, determining the mobile station is roaming;
• b) retrieving at least a portion of an existing service plan between the subscriber and the wireless service provider from a subscriber database;
• c) determining a roaming charge rate will be incurred by the subscriber when using the mobile station in the current geographic area;
• d) communicating the roaming charge rate to the mobile station upon determining that the roaming charge rate applies to the mobile station;
• e) displaying the roaming charge rate on a display associated with the mobile station while the mobile station is located in the current geographic area;
• f) while the mobile station is located in a different geographic area, determining the mobile station is roaming;
• and
• g) repeating steps b)–e) for the different geographic area while the mobile station is powered up.

A wireless network, including:

• a mobile station associated with a subscriber to wireless services from a wireless service provider associated with the wireless network;
• means for determining the mobile station is roaming while the mobile station is located in a current geographic area;
• means for displaying a roaming charge rate on the mobile station while the mobile station is located in the current geographic area;
• a subscriber database for storing an existing service plan between the subscriber and the wireless service provider;
• means for retrieving at least a portion of the existing service plan from the subscriber database;
• means for determining a roaming charge rate will be incurred by the subscriber when using the mobile station in the current geographic area;
• and
• means for communicating the roaming charge rate to the mobile station upon determining that the roaming charge rate applies to the mobile station or upon the mobile station entering a new roaming area.