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.