Methods, systems, and computer program products for offloading prepaid
credit status queries from prepaid credit status databases for
unlimited-plan prepaid in-network calls is provided. According to one
aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method that
includes intercepting, at a signaling message routing node, a prepaid
status query associated with a call originated by a calling subscriber
and directed to a called subscriber. The signaling node then determines
whether the calling subscriber is associated with an unlimited calling
plan, unlimited text messaging plan, unlimited multimedia messaging plan,
or a combination of plans based on the intercepted prepaid status query.
The node also determines whether the call is an in-network call based on
the intercepted prepaid status query, where an in-network call includes a
call between a calling subscriber and a called subscriber belonging to
the same network. In response to determining that the call is an
in-network call associated with a calling party associated with an
unlimited calling, text messaging, or multimedia messaging plan, the
signaling node generates a prepaid status response instructing the query
originator to connect the call. Alternatively, in response to determining
that the call is not an in-network call associated with a calling party
associated with an unlimited calling, text messaging, or multimedia
messaging plan, the signaling node forwards the prepaid status query to
the intended destination prepaid status database.