A prepaid
communications system includes a
wireless call handling device for receiving
wireless calls from
wireless customers, a
packet data serving node for receiving wireless packet data calls from the wireless call handling device and transmitting the calls to a communications network and an administration
system in communication with the
packet data serving node. Upon a wireless customer originating a wireless call, the wireless call handling device receives the wireless call and transmits the wireless call to the
packet data serving node. The packet data serving node accesses the administration
system with identification information input by the customer to obtain a call access
authorization for the customer. The administration
system transmits the call access
authorization to the packet data serving node, the call access
authorization including a prepaid volume
record indicating an amount of prepaid units available for use by the customer and
processing instructions. The packet data serving node then enables the wireless call to proceed on the communications network while monitoring the wireless call and decrementing the available prepaid units from the prepaid volume
record associated with the customer. Upon the available prepaid units reaching a predetermined level, as indicated in the
processing instructions, the packet data serving node notifies the administration system that the predetermined level has been reached, and the
processing instructions are executed.