Kiosk initiated telephone service

Abstract

A user of a mobile device with a subscription on a primary network is able to interact with an automated mobile network account setup kiosk to setup a subscription (temporary or permanent) for access to services (one or more) on the secondary network. The billing system of the primary network is used to bill for services subscribed to by the user on the secondary network. Subscriber information and subscription information from the primary network is selectively used to setup a new subscription for the user on the secondary network. A mobile device, built in accordance with the present invention, is capable of interacting with a mobile network account setup kiosk, in order to configure access to a secondary network selectively employing subscription information from a primary network currently subscribed to by the user.

1 . A mobile network account setup kiosk for setting up subscriptions to a service, the mobile network account setup kiosk comprising:
 processor circuitry;   communications circuitry;   a primary network access interface coupled to the processor circuitry and to the communications circuitry and operable to interact with a subscriber management system of a primary network via the communications circuitry;   a secondary network interface coupled to the processor circuitry and to the communications circuitry and operable to interact with a subscriber management system of a secondary network via the communications circuitry;   an account manager operable to establish a temporary subscription for a subscriber on the secondary network employing the secondary network interface based on primary account information retrieved from the primary network via the primary network access interface.   
     
     
         2 . The mobile network account setup kiosk of  claim 1  wherein the communication circuitry also supports near field communications with a mobile device and facilitates interactions with the mobile device to establish the temporary subscription for the subscriber via the mobile device. 
     
     
         3 . The mobile network account setup kiosk of  claim 1  wherein the communication circuitry also supports communication with a mobile device used by the subscriber and wherein the account manager facilitates interactions with the mobile device to establish the temporary subscription for the subscriber via the mobile device. 
     
     
         4 . The mobile network account setup kiosk of  claim 3  wherein the account manager is external to the mobile network account setup kiosk and associated with the secondary network. 
     
     
         5 . The mobile network account setup kiosk of  claim 1  wherein the account manager solicits the primary account information from the subscriber. 
     
     
         6 . The mobile network account setup kiosk of  claim 5  wherein solicitation of the primary account information from the subscriber occurs via a mobile device operated by the subscriber that is communicatively coupled to the communication circuitry. 
     
     
         7 . The mobile network account setup kiosk of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a display for presenting information to the subscriber and for soliciting inputs from the subscriber;   the account manager soliciting at least a portion of the primary account information from the subscriber via the display; and   the account manager establishing the temporary subscription for the subscriber on the secondary network based on the at least a portion of the primary account information provided by the subscriber.   
     
     
         8 . The mobile network account setup kiosk of  claim 1  wherein the account manager establishes a billing capability with a billing management system of the primary network for services accessed by the subscriber on the secondary network. 
     
     
         9 . A mobile device capable of operating on more than one wireless network, the mobile device comprising:
 a programmed card that enables the mobile device to operate on the more than one wireless network;   subscriber information for operating on a primary network;   a network activation client that enables network selection and account setup with a new network;   the network activation client capable of interacting with a mobile network account setup kiosk to activate access to a secondary network; and   the network activation client employing the subscriber information during interactions with the mobile network account setup kiosk to setup an account and activate access to the secondary network.   
     
     
         10 . The mobile device of  claim 9  wherein the programmed card is one of a subscriber information module (SIM) card, a SmartCard, and a memory card. 
     
     
         11 . The mobile device of  claim 10  wherein the network activation client receives notification from the mobile network account setup kiosk when in proximity, soliciting activation of access to the secondary network. 
     
     
         12 . The mobile device of  claim 11  wherein the mobile device prompts the subscriber to select the secondary network from a list of available networks, and interacts with the mobile network account setup kiosk to setup an account and activate access to the secondary network. 
     
     
         13 . The mobile device of  claim 12  wherein the network activation client stores secondary network access information in the programmed card that makes it possible for the mobile device to subsequently operate on the secondary network. 
     
     
         14 . A method of gaining access to a new network by a mobile device, the method comprising:
 acquiring, at a kiosk, a new subscription for a new service on the new network based upon an existing subscription for an existing service on an old network;   registering the new subscription with the new network and obtaining access information for the new network;   storing the access information for the new network; and   accessing new network.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein information on the existing subscription on the old network is obtained from one of a SIM card and a SmartCard in the mobile device and wherein the new service on the new network is acquired based upon the information on the existing subscription on the old network. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein storing comprising saving the access information for the new network on the one of a SIM card and a SmartCard in the mobile device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the old network is a first mobile cellular network and new network is another mobile cellular network. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the kiosk is an automated server capable of interaction with the mobile device, the old network, and the new network. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14  wherein acquiring, at a kiosk, a new subscription for a new service on the new network based upon an existing subscription for an existing service on an old network further comprises:
 determining subscriber information from the old network based on the existing subscription for an existing service on an old network;   securing the subscriber's approval for linking the new service on the new network and the existing subscription on the old network;   establishing a cross-billing relationship between the new service on the new network and the existing subscription on the old network; and   and recording the new subscription details comprising information related to the new service and the new network.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14  wherein acquiring, at a kiosk, a new subscription for a new service on the new network based upon an existing subscription for an existing service on an old network comprises getting, at a kiosk, one of a new SIM card or a SmartCard, useable on the mobile device, for the new subscription on the new network based upon the existing subscription for the existing service on the old network.