Merchant managed method and system for text-to-pay subscriptions at a billing server

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions which, when executed by a processor of a computer performs a method of managing subscriptions with a billing server comprising:

• a) executing an opt-in method with the billing server, including:
• receiving a first opt-in request at the billing server, the first op-in request being a text message from a user mobile phone at a msisdn;
• generating, with the billing server, a PIN code;
• transmitting, with the billing server, a text message to a user mobile phone at the msisdn with the PIN code;
• receiving a second opt-in request, the second opt-in request being a request from a subscription server received at the billing server and including a PIN code;
• verifying, at the billing server, the PIN code received in the second opt-in request against the PIN code transmitted in the text message;
• and
• recording, at the billing server, an opt-in status as active for the msisdn within the data structure if the PIN code is verified;
• and
• b) executing a charge method with the billing server including:
• receiving, at the billing server, a charge API call from a subscription server at the billing server, including at least one identifier and an amount;
• determining an opt-in status corresponding to the identifier at the billing server;
• and
• transmitting a request to charge a user account to a carrier server if the opt-in status is active, but not if the opt-in status is inactive, the request including an amount corresponding to the amount received in the charge API call, the subscription server to update the expiration of the account to a later expiration following the charge API call.

A billing server comprising:

• a processor;
• a computer-readable medium connected to the processor;
• and
• a set of instructions on the computer-readable medium and executable by the processor, including:
• an SMS messaging module;
• a user opt-in management module executing an opt-in method including:
• receiving a first opt-in request, the first op-in request being a text message from a user mobile phone at a msisdn;
• generating a PIN code;
• transmitting, using the SMS messaging module, a text message to a user mobile phone at the msisdn with the PIN code;
• receiving a second opt-in request, the second opt-in request being a request from a subscription server received at the billing server and including a PIN code;
• verifying the PIN code received in the second opt-in request against the PIN code transmitted in the text message;
• and
• recording an opt-in status as active within a data structure for the msisdn if the PIN code is verified;
• and
• a carrier billing module executing a charge method including:
• receiving a charge API call from a subscription server, including at least one identifier and an amount;
• determining an opt-in status corresponding to the identifier in the data structure;
• and
• transmitting a request to charge a user account to a carrier server if the opt-in status is active, but not if the opt-in status is inactive, the request including an amount corresponding to the amount received in the charge API call, the subscription server to update the expiration of the account to a later expiration following the charge API call.