A wireless communication device, such as a cellular telephone, is typically a node of a WAN or communication network. The cellular telephone may also be a part of a short distance wireless network for communicating with other user devices, such as a laptop, printer, Personal Digital Assistant (“PDA”) and/or headset. For example, Bluetooth™ technology (www.Bluetooth.com) provides wireless communications between devices in a short distance wireless network.
A telecommunication network operator does not typically have visibility of the usage of many of the devices in the short distance wireless network that ultimately use the telecommunication network. Typically, a device in the short distance wireless network will access the telecommunication network through a cellular telephone or cellular modem. The telecommunication network operator sees the usage of the telecommunication network by a node, or a cellular telephone that is also in a short distance wireless network, even though other devices in the short distance wireless network are causing the usage of the telecommunication network by receiving or sending information from or to the cellular telephone. For example, a user may send an email from a PDA, in a short distance wireless network via a cellular telephone, that includes an image file or video. Transferring this email over the telecommunication network uses a relatively large amount of bandwidth and is costly to the user during peak usage times compared to a short telephone call. Because of the cost associated with transferring the email, a user may choose not to send the email over the telecommunication network. Likewise, the user may not download a rather large file from a web site because of the relatively high costs associated with using the telecommunication network during peak usage times. Accordingly, a telecommunication network operator loses potential revenue because users are not accessing the telecommunication network; while, users are not obtaining desirable information and services.
Similarly, a user of a short distance wireless network has numerous devices that may have batteries. Both the devices and batteries may need to be replaced if they fail or are about to fail. A user is often responsible for determining whether the device and/or battery needs to be replaced and has to travel to a store to obtain a replacement device and/or battery. The user is then not able to access the telecommunication network due to the failed device and/or battery and the telecommunication network provider loses the opportunity of generating any revenue associated with the failed device/battery.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a method, a system, and a computer readable medium that increases telecommunication network operator traffic, and thereby revenue, while providing convenience and value added services to users.