Methods, systems and computer program products for offloading prepaid status queries from a prepaid status database for unlimited in-network prepaid calls

A signaling message routing node for offloading prepaid status queries for in-network prepaid calls, the signaling message routing node comprising:

• (a) a communications module for intercepting a prepaid status query associated with a call originated by a calling subscriber and directed to a called subscriber;
• and
• (b) a prepaid status query offload module for:
• (i) determining whether the calling subscriber is associated with an unlimited calling, text messaging, or multimedia messaging plan based on the intercepted prepaid status query;
• (ii) determining whether the call is an in-network call based on the intercepted prepaid status query, where an in-network call includes a call between a calling subscriber and a called subscriber belonging to the same network;
• (iii) in response to determining that the call is an in-network call associated with a calling party associated with an unlimited calling, text messaging, or multimedia messaging plan, generating a prepaid status response instructing the query originator to connect the call;
• and
• (iv) in response to determining that the call is not an in-network call associated with a calling party associated with an unlimited calling, text messaging, or multimedia messaging plan, forwarding the prepaid status query to the prepaid status database.

A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer readable medium for performing steps comprising:

• (a) intercepting a prepaid status query associated with a call originated by a calling subscriber and directed to a called subscriber;
• (b) determining whether the calling subscriber is associated with an unlimited calling, text messaging, or multimedia messaging plan based on the intercepted prepaid status query;
• (c) determining whether the call is an in-network call based on the intercepted prepaid status query, where an in-network call includes a call between a calling subscriber and a called subscriber belonging to the same network;
• (d) in response to determining that the call is an in-network call associated with a calling party associated with an unlimited calling, text messaging, or multimedia messaging plan, generating a prepaid status response instructing the query originator to connect the call;
• and
• (e) in response to determining that the call is not an in-network call associated with a calling party associated with an unlimited calling, text messaging, or multimedia messaging plan, forwarding the prepaid status query to a prepaid status database.