Network status information is provided to a mobile device. The data usage of the mobile device is tracked. A data usage criterion is determined from an account for the mobile device. The account information is stored on at least one server. The data usage is compared with the data usage criterion. Based on the comparison, it is determined whether the data usage meets the data usage criterion. Upon determining that the data usage meets the data usage criterion, a notification message is sent to the mobile device in real time through an information element field within an existing message in a bearer channel of the wireless packet data communication network. The notification message may instruct the mobile device to prevent generation and/or transmission of automatic network access requests while allowing user-initiated network access requests.

Various embodiments provide a subscription management service, which can be in-band or out-of-band, which allows users to extend their subscription or temporarily side-step payment limits on a subscription without disrupting the user's experience. The various embodiments can be operable in all on-demand services including, but not limited to, video services, voice services, video/voice services, text services, Web services, and the like.

Methods and systems for top-up are provided. A representative telecommunication messaging and real-time replenishment (TMRTR) system includes a user interface that receives a user input and transmits the user input that includes chat message and a recipient phone number associated with a phone user's account; and a real-time replenishment OUR) gateway that receives and transmits chat messages and the phone number from the user interface and requests for a telephone service company associated with the phone number to a home location register (HLR) look up service. The RTR gateway tops up phone minutes and/or balance of money of the phone user's account associated with the phone number based on the phone number of the received user input, and the determined telephone service company from the HLR look up service.

A method for crediting a customer account maintained by a vendor of services in response to payment received from a customer is disclosed herein. The method includes issuing, to the customer, a membership account number associated with at least the customer account. A membership account number and a payment corresponding to a requested amount of a service offered by the vendor are received from the customer at a point-of-sale. The method further includes generating, at the point-of-sale, an authorization message including at least the membership account number and embedded transaction information identifying the service offered by the vendor and the requested amount. The embedded transaction information is then communicated from the point-of-sale to a database server. The customer account is credited, in response to the embedded transaction information, based upon an amount of the payment. The method also includes electronically transferring funds based upon the amount of the payment from a first account associated with the point-of-sale to a second account associated with the vendor.

A method for reloading a mobile number includes receiving a request for reloading the mobile number sent by a terminal, obtaining information on the mobile number, and determining whether the mobile number is a trusted number based on the obtained information. The method further includes reloading the mobile number if it is determined that the mobile number is a trusted number, and alerting the terminal that the mobile number is not a trusted number if it is determined that the mobile number is not a trusted number. The mobile number does not correspond to the terminal.

A method and an apparatus for information exchange in online charging in order to reduce frequency of information exchange between a Charging Trigger Function (CTF) device and an Online Charging System (OCS), and reduce a pressure of information transmission between the CTF device and the OCS, where the method includes receiving, by a CTF device, a credit control answer (CCA) message that carries a non-real-time Trigger and sent by an OCS, recording, by the CTF device, charging information before and after a corresponding event of the non-real-time Trigger happens each time before sending a credit control request (CCR) message to the OCS next time, and sending, by the CTF device, the CCR message to the OCS.