A network platform manages the provisioning of a UE with a dominant identity profile and a recessive identity profile. The dominant profile is associated with a user's existing wireless data plan and the recessive profile corresponds to a data plan of a provider of device, or machine-to-machine, services to the UE. The UE uses the two profiles to transmit separate data contexts on separate respective bearers. When managing two separate bearers, the UE always uses the dominant profile first for managing a handoff to a stronger cell. The UE reports that the new cell that now serves the dominant context is the only cell that has enough strength to support the recessive context, even if other cells near the UE have signals strong enough. This necessarily causes the recessive context to always be handed off to the same cell to which the dominant context has already been handed off.

A system and method allows users to make purchases by charging or funding a prepaid debit card with their cell phone accounts by simulating a user roaming with their mobile device.

A network platform manages the provisioning of a UE with a dominant identity profile and a recessive identity profile. The dominant profile is associated with a user's existing wireless data plan and the recessive profile corresponds to a data plan of a provider of device, or machine-to-machine, services to the UE. The UE uses the two profiles to transmit separate data contexts on separate respective bearers. When managing two separate bearers, the UE always uses the dominant profile first for managing a handoff to a stronger cell. The UE reports that the new cell that now serves the dominant context is the only cell that has enough strength to support the recessive context, even if other cells near the UE have signals strong enough. This necessarily causes the recessive context to always be handed off to the same cell to which the dominant context has already been handed off.

A personal communication device for processing financial information via a payment terminal, the payment terminal being configured to output a wireless signal is configured to receive the wireless signal of a payment terminal; determine whether the received wireless signal has a strength above a first signal threshold. If the received signal strength is above the first signal strength threshold, it emits a wireless request signal to cause the payment terminal to establish a communication channel with the personal communication device, wherein the request signal causes the payment terminal to establish only one communication channel, wherein the communication channel is only between the said personal communication device and the payment terminal. When a financial transaction at said personal communication device is concluded, it emits a wireless release signal to close down the communication channel so that the payment terminal can establish another communication channel with another personal communication device.

There is provided a method for relaying a sensitive information detail during a telephone call between a user's telephone and a recipient's telephone, the user's telephone storing the sensitive information detail therein, the method comprising: initiating a telephone call between the user and the recipient; the user's telephone receiving a predetermined input; during the telephone call, the user's telephone accessing the sensitive information detail stored in the user's telephone based on the predetermined input; and the user's telephone audibly relaying to the recipient the accessed sensitive information detail, wherein audibly relaying to the recipient the accessed sensitive information detail comprises the user's telephone converting, using at least one text-to-speech algorithm, the accessed sensitive information detail to an audible message containing the sensitive information detail and audibly relaying the audible message during the telephone call.

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for electronically facilitating streaming payments are provided. An exemplary method includes receiving a request to access protected media content hosted by a content provider, determining a minimum currency increment based on a user designated payment type, and establishing a predefined content increment that corresponds to the protected media content. The method further includes determining a minimum session expense ratio based on the minimum currency increment and the predefined content increment, initiating a user session that permits access to the protected media content, and determining a quantification of protected media content that is consumed at a termination of the user session. The method also includes using the minimum session expense ratio and the quantification to determine an on-demand streaming payment amount and utilizing the user designated payment type to determine a manner of routing the on-demand streaming payment amount to a payment processing entity that is configured to facilitate a payment transaction.

It is recognized herein that current approaches to traffic steering in M2M systems lack capabilities, particularly with respect to traversing value added services in an operator's network. As described herein, nodes or apparatuses at a machine-to-machine (M2M) service layer can leverage value added services that are deployed in an operator's network. The M2M service layer may add metadata to downlink traffic so that the metadata can be used to assist with steering and processing data in the operator's value added services (VASs) network. By of example, the M2M service layer can use a control plane interface to push polices into a network operator's VASs network, and to allow functions in the VASs network to extract information from the M2M service layer.

The disclosure relates to the field of making online payments by integrating social networks and payment networks to a seamless network. In particular, some embodiments of the invention leverage the information in the social network to conduct financial transactions. A social payment network app can incorporate all or most of the functions of credit cards, internet banking and money order companies by using the data and functions already available in the social network. Some embodiments of the invention provide better counterparty recognition, reduce the chance of fraud, or fraud, and provide a cheaper payment platform to consumers or small businesses while also reducing the administrative burden in making and paying purchases or reporting payments and/or expenses to third parties, such as the employer or tax administration.

Conventional balance inquiries by a prepaid customer or other communication-service subscriber do not return an available service amount. Rather, they return a monetary amount that does not consider service usage rules or tariff plans that control service ratings. This conventional approach makes it difficult for the user to assess the sufficiency of his or her remaining account balance. Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method, and apparatus for determining available service amounts corresponding to remaining account credit, based on considering the applicable tariff plans.

A telecommunications system for selectively connecting originator nodes to recipient nodes includes an account database with one or more accounts each associated with corresponding ones of the originator nodes and the recipient nodes. There is a contacts database with recipient contact lists each associated with a specific one of the accounts of the recipient nodes. A transaction processor is receptive to an incoming telecommunications initiation request, which includes a recipient node identifier and a nano-transaction payment submission defined at least by a payment amount. The transaction processor responsively directs the establishment of the telecommunications link between the one of the originator nodes and the one of the recipient nodes upon receipt of the telecommunications initiation request. The nano-transaction payment submission is settled based at least in part upon an active duration of the telecommunications link.