VOIP Telephony System Roaming Charge Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile users incur exorbitant roaming charges when using cellular services outside their native service area, particularly for international calls, due to the premium rates negotiated between carriers.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilizes a Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) telephony system to terminate telephony communications, allowing calls to be routed through a data network instead of traditional cellular channels, thereby avoiding roaming fees. This involves registering a mobile device with a forwarding termination service, assigning a forwarding access number, and instructing the native mobile service provider to forward calls to this number, enabling VOIP connections over data networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If calls are routed through traditional cellular channels when outside native service area, then connectivity is maintained, but roaming charges increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a VOIP system as an intermediary to route calls. Instead of directly routing calls through traditional cellular networks (which incur roaming charges), the system uses a VOIP gateway and data network as intermediaries to terminate calls, thereby avoiding roaming fees while maintaining connectivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional cellular voice channel mechanism with a data network-based VOIP mechanism. By substituting the cellular voice routing infrastructure with internet protocol-based communication, the system eliminates roaming charges associated with traditional cellular networks
2Loss of energy
If VOIP routing is implemented to avoid roaming charges, then roaming charges are reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The VOIP system acts as an intermediary that simplifies the overall architecture by consolidating call termination functionality. Rather than requiring complex arrangements with multiple cellular carriers for roaming, the system uses a single VOIP gateway to handle call termination, reducing the complexity of carrier negotiations and routing agreements
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables a single device to function both as a traditional mobile phone and as a VOIP endpoint. The mobile device can operate in cellular mode within native service areas and switch to VOIP mode when roaming, providing multi-functionality without requiring separate systems
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for terminating telephony communications to a mobile telephony device that is roaming outside of its native service area make use of a forwarding termination service. The forwarding termination service causes the native mobile telephony service provider that provides service to the mobile telephony device to forward incoming telephony communications directed the native telephone number of the mobile telephony device to a forwarding access number. The forwarding termination service receives telephony communications directed to the forwarding access number, and then terminates the telephony communication to the mobile telephony device via any one of multiple different methods. The mobile telephony service provider can be instructed to implement and cancel call forwarding instructions by dialing a special character string on the mobile telephony device.