Unrestricted Calling Circle For Telephone Service

Abstract

Subscribers of a telephone service can define a calling circle, which includes a group of other telephone subscribers with whom the subscriber receives preferential billing rates. The members of the calling circle may include customers of a telephone service provider other than the subscriber's telephone service provider.

1 . A method for providing telephone services to a subscriber by the subscriber's telephone service provider, the method comprising:
 receiving from a subscriber a selection of one or more telephone numbers for members of a calling circle, at least one of the telephone numbers associated with a telephone service provider other than the subscriber's telephone service provider;   tracking calling activity by the subscriber, the calling activity including telephone calls between the subscriber and one or more phone numbers of the members of the calling circle; and   charging the subscriber a first rate for calls between phone numbers of members of the calling circle and a second rate for calls between phone numbers of persons outside the calling circle, the first rate being discounted with respect to the second rate.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 charging the subscriber a service fee in exchange for the discounted first rate.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the service fee is a recurring fee for a predefined time period. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the discounted first rate allows free telephone calls during predefined time periods. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving from the subscriber a selection to remove a member from the subscriber's calling circle.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving from the subscriber a selection to add a member to the subscriber's calling circle.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 disallowing the subscriber to add a member to the subscriber's calling circle if a predefined limit on the subscriber's changing of the calling circle has been reached.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 charging the subscriber a calling circle change fee if a predefined limit on the subscriber's changing of the calling circle has been reached.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the subscriber's selections is received via a web portal. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subscriber's telephone service provider is a wireless telephone service provider. 
     
     
         11 . A method for providing a discounted calling circle for a subscriber of a telephone service provider, the method comprising:
 receiving selections for members of the subscriber's calling circle, where one or more members of the calling circle have a telephone service provider other than the subscriber's telephone service provider;   facilitating communications between the subscriber and members of the calling circle; and   a step for providing a discounted calling rate to the subscriber for communications with members of the calling circle.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 charging the subscriber a service fee in exchange for the discounted calling rate.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving a selection from the subscriber to changes the members of the subscriber's calling circle.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 disallowing the subscriber to add more than a maximum number of members to the calling circle; and   charging the subscriber a calling circle change fee if a predefined limit on changes has been reached.   
     
     
         15 . A telephone services system allowing subscribers of a telephone service provider to define a calling circle for discounted telephone calls, the system comprising:
 a telephone network interface for allowing the subscribers of the telephone service provider to make telephone calls with each other and with subscribers of other telephone service providers;   a subscriber database that stores account information for the subscribers of the telephone service provider, the account information for each of at least some of the subscribers comprising an identification of members of the subscriber's calling circle, where one or more members of the subscriber's calling circle have a telephone service provider other than the subscriber's telephone service provider; and   a billing maintenance system configured to update the subscribers' account information based on the subscribers' usage of telephone services, the billing maintenance system further configured to charge the subscribers a first rate for calls with members of the subscribers' calling circle and a second rate for calls with persons outside the subscribers' calling circles, the first rate being discounted with respect to the second rate.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the billing maintenance system is configured to charge the subscribers a service fee in exchange for the discounted first rate. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the discounted first rate allows free telephone calls during predefined time periods. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the billing maintenance system is configured to receive selections from the subscribers to change the members of the subscribers' calling circles. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the billing maintenance system is configured to disallow each subscriber from adding a member to the subscriber's calling circle if a predefined limit on the subscriber's changing of the calling circle has been reached. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the billing maintenance system is configured to charge each subscriber a calling circle change fee for changing the members of the subscriber's calling circles if a predefined limit on the subscriber's changing of the calling circle has been reached. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a web server for receiving selections from the subscribers to change the members of the subscribers' calling circles via a web portal, the web server coupled to the billing maintenance system.