Communications Services -- Chuck Manto Consulting

SPONSORED COMMUNICATION SERVICES -- Background

Technology Focus -- On Demand Communications & Training

My associates and I helped companies develop and deploy new high bandwidth (telephony and high-speed Internet) telecommunications technologies. I was the first or second in the country to deploy commercial voice over DSL networks as a Senior VP of operations of a Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (in Virginia, D.C. and Maryland). I continue to assist entrepreneurs and communities to develop survivable high bandwidth and web-based applications blending multiple technologies including fiber optic, wireless and satellite. (See Business Services page.)

Policy Focus -- Market Based Solutions to the Digital Divide

From this work, I have seen substantial gaping holes in the development and deployment of new communications technology desperately needed by emerging economies both in the United States and around the world. Six percent of the US population, primarily the poorest, still does not have basic phone service. The percentage without wide bandwidth services is far higher. In emerging economies, the problem is even greater. Only 3% of the Philippines has basic phone service. After significant growth, only 8% of China has basic phone service. (See the NTIA link on universal service.)

To help bridge the digital divide, I have provided consulting services to rural communities in the U.S. (see policies below) and proposed the development of market based approaches that can sustainably meet these needs. This new class of telecommunication and communication financial services is totally free to the user and is outlined in my patent issued on September 4, 2001. See the subsequent ones issued in 2003 and 2004 by going to www.uspto.gov. Click on patents, search, quick search, and enter "Manto" or "telecommunications universal service" as search terms. These include applications in grid computing, real-time provisioning, secure communications, on-demand financing and service level agreement implementation.

Would you like to see how you can help redirect $9 billion per year to low income people in the US alone without having to raise one nickel in taxes or market subsidies? Then read how sponsored services could work in the section below.

How Market Based Universal Service Works

Think of a person who might be cut off from traditional voice phone service. Instead of cutting off the person from service when he they can't pay his bill, I have suggested that the person merely be cut off from credit. When that person wants to make a call, that person calls collect. When someone wants to call the person who has no credit, that caller will be interrupted and asked to pay an additional amount. If the caller pays the extra amount, the call is connected. Alternately, the caller could enter a pin number that allows a third party to pay. Similarly, if the one without credit needs to reach someone who can not or will not pay the collect charge, they can enter a pin number that would allow a third party to pay for the charge. There are a number of ways this can be implemented, a number of which are listed below.

The Market Size

A substantial benefit of this class of service would be to provide service to those who do not receive it now without resorting to taxes or market subsidies. As mentioned earlier, this approach solves a substantial part of the universal service telecommunication problem in both advanced and emerging economies. This addresses a new $9 billion voice market in the US alone. It eliminates a substantial portion of the bad debt problem associated with communication services. It also provides a means to offer services sponsored by those with an economic interest in the communication activities of business associates or customers whether they require landline, wireless, narrow band or wide band services and applications such as telemedicine, emergency communications or training.

Sample Services

To facilitate the deployment of these new services, I offer marketing, business process, technology and patent consulting services to clients, prospective partners and licensees of my intellectual property in the following areas:

Broadband 9-1-1: We are offering new approaches to telemedicine and video or broadband 9-1-1 services that provide on-demand and interoperable voice, data, and video emergency services through companies affiliated with Instant Access Networks. This includes design of networks and mission-critical facilities such as disaster and emergency communications centers that can survive natural as well as manmade disasters, e.g. EMP.

Sponsored phone services: Sponsor provided communication and financial services known as "they say I pay"™ services or "sponsor call"™ services. These services are oriented around providing services and applications that are paid by sponsors on behalf of others who do not or can not pay for the services.

Prison phone service: Alternative communication services for families and friends of those in prison known as "call out of jail free"™ services. Currently, most families can only communicate with relatives in jails and prisons by receiving very expensive collect calls, most of which have a mark up overcharge of nearly 100% or greater. Call out of jail free™ services allow a sponsor to pay for those calls on behalf of the family so that the family can receive the call free of charge. It also allows the sponsor to choose the parties that will be paid so that the prison officials can not deny services because the services might motivate other prisoners to steal the account. Similar secure email and secure broadband services can be provided to prisoners and their families making it possible to offer legal and education services securely and cost effectively.

Travel phone service: Sponsor replenishable services that provide phone card with or without basic phone service known as "dial 99"™ or "your call"™ services. This capability allows sponsors to pay for a phone card type service either with or without a fully sponsored basic phone service that allows the user totally free local residential phone service. Whenever the user needs to call someone out of the area, the user can call those parties that the sponsor has chosen. But, when the user runs out of funds for time on the sponsored calls, the user dials 99 and is connected back to the sponsor for additional funds. Since the sponsor is motivated to choose those the user can call in the first place, the sponsor is more likely to renew the service when initial funds run out. When the user needs or wants to call someone the sponsor does not want to subsidize, then the user calls collect.

Sponsor replenishable services for users outside the United States but paid by sponsors in the United States known as "call USA free card"™ services. It makes it possible for the sponsor to pay for local service anywhere in the world where the local exchange carrier is willing to provide basic local service paid by a sponsor in U.S. dollars.

Sponsor replenishable communication and financial services for travelers such as those in the armed forces known as "armed forces card"™ services. This service makes it possible for third parties to refresh calling card, cell phone communications and financial accounts of travelers who may not be able to replenish their own accounts while on travel. It also organizes calls in advance or in real-time to eliminate costly accounting procedures that are typically done manually and after the fact.

Sponsor replenishable gifts of communication and financial services known as "keep in touch card"™ and "phone home card"™ services. These services allow for sponsor paid communication and financial services that can be purchased either in retail establishments or over a web site.

Prior Telecom Policy Work

We also assisted local governments in their deployment of new technology. This resulted in getting the private sector to deploy better technology sooner and in ways that saved local governments millions of dollars in applications such as 911, telemedicine, and electronic government. Since the early 1990's I have authored policies and encouraged local and state governments to use telecommunications as part of their own economic development strategy. (See the rural Maryland broadband deployment strategies and policies published from 2002-2003. See also the 1991 forum on Telecommunications and Rural Economic Development published by the National Council for Urban Economic Development in January 1992, and Electronic Byways, by Edwin Parker and Heather Hudson, published by the Aspen Institute in 1992.)

For more information, contact Chuck Manto. If you are interested in becoming a business partner, fill out the prospective partner form. Qualified partners can review white papers and other proprietary documentation.

United States Patent
Manto -- Patent No: US 6,285,749
Date of Patent: Sep. 4, 2001

System and method for providing universal telecommunications service and third party payer services

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