There is provided a method that includes (i) receiving a notification of an event concerning a network communication service, (ii) querying a database, in response to the notification, to obtain a payment mode for the service, in which the payment mode is selectable from a set that includes (a) pre-payment and (b) post-payment, (iii) determining, in accordance with the payment mode, whether a balance to fund the service satisfies a balance criterion, and (iv) issuing, in accordance with whether the balance to fund the service satisfies the balance criterion, a communication to a device to affect a provision of the service. There is also provided a system that employs the method, and a storage medium that contains instructions for controlling a processor to perform the method.