A virtualized Policy, Charging, Negotiation and Enforcement Entity (PCNE) is disclosed for serving cellular traffic across multiple networks. The PCNE manages signaling and user payloads to apply policies compliant to concerned networks in real time. The PCNE provides policy control to a Home network even when its outbound subscriber traffic is locally offloaded at a Visited network or IP Packet Exchange (IPX) cloud. The PCNE protects the Visited network against capacity overuse by inbound subscriber traffic, thereby providing joint control to the Home and Visited network operators resulting in optimal use of bandwidth and resources along with consistent subscriber experience. The PCNE enables the Home network operator to implement domestic quota buckets and policies while its subscriber is roaming in the Visited network by applying differential policy and charging rules. Traffic can be offloaded to a preferred packet data gateway after enforcing the negotiated policies.

A method for displaying wireless service usage information and account information using an account management application operating on a wireless device includes receiving, at the account management application operating on the wireless device and from a tracking module, wireless service usage information for a wireless subscriber associated with the wireless device, the wireless service usage information including one or more units of wireless services that the wireless subscriber has used, receiving, at the account management application operating on the wireless device and from a service provider over a wireless network, account information associated with the wireless subscriber associated with the wireless device, the service provider being different from the wireless device and the wireless network, and enabling presentation, on a display of the wireless device, of the account management application including the wireless service usage information and the account information for the wireless subscriber associated with the wireless device.

Systems and methods described herein provide a hierarchical Account Balance Management Function (ABMF) architecture for a Converged Charging System. Multiple distributed account management devices and a centralized account management device are provided. The centralized account management device includes one or more processors to allocate, to the multiple distributed account management devices, a pre-authorized consumption limit for a shared consumption plan; receive, from one of the multiple distributed account management devices, a request for an additional consumption limit from the shared consumption plan; allocate, to the one of the multiple distributed account management devices, the additional consumption limit; and update an account balance for the shared consumption plan based on allocating the additional consumption limit.

One embodiment relates to a method for sharing consumption of an electronic communication service by a mobile terminal, a session for consuming the service being established initially between the terminal and a gateway between the mobile network and a packet-switched network, remaining credit for consuming the service being attributed initially to the terminal. The terminal periodically requests authorisation to consume a predetermined quota of the remaining credit. A request to track the credit of the terminal is received and a message, intended for launching a credit request for the terminal is transmitted to the gateway. A credit request message for the terminal including information relating to a portion of the predetermined quota consumed by the terminal is received from the gateway. The remaining credit is updated accordingly. A response to track the credit of the terminal for the service, including the updated value of the remaining credit is transmitted.

A method for displaying wireless service usage information and account information using an account management application operating on a wireless device includes receiving, at the account management application operating on the wireless device and from a tracking module, wireless service usage information for a wireless subscriber associated with the wireless device, the wireless service usage information including one or more units of wireless services that the wireless subscriber has used, receiving, at the account management application operating on the wireless device and from a service provider over a wireless network, account information associated with the wireless subscriber associated with the wireless device, the service provider being different from the wireless device and the wireless network, and enabling presentation, on a display of the wireless device, of the account management application including the wireless service usage information and the account information for the wireless subscriber associated with the wireless device.

Provided are methods of operating a gateway and a server, performing an intelligent negotiation in an Internet of Things (IoT) network. According to an example embodiment, a method of operating the gateway of an IoT system includes receiving status information from at least one of a plurality of end devices included in a local network, determining whether to start a negotiation based on a status of the local network that is analyzed based on the status information, transmitting a negotiation request to an external device, receiving a suggestion corresponding to the negotiation request from the external device, and transmitting a reply indicating whether to accept the suggestion to the external device.

A system for multiple network usage tracking, the system having a policy management platform having one or more processors able to receive and to calculate account usage data associated with an account profile, the policy management platform arranged externally from a network of at least one wireless carrier.

A method for displaying wireless service usage information and account information using an account management application operating on a wireless device includes receiving, at the account management application operating on the wireless device and from a tracking module, wireless service usage information for a wireless subscriber associated with the wireless device, the wireless service usage information including one or more units of wireless services that the wireless subscriber has used, receiving, at the account management application operating on the wireless device and from a service provider over a wireless network, account information associated with the wireless subscriber associated with the wireless device, the service provider being different from the wireless device and the wireless network, and enabling presentation, on a display of the wireless device, of the account management application including the wireless service usage information and the account information for the wireless subscriber associated with the wireless device.

A communication method for at least one mobile terminal of a user, suitable for setting up data connections or call connections via at least one mobile communication network to a data terminal or to a voice terminal and suitable for the wireless communication with a host server. Thereby a) a wireless communication link is established between the host server and the mobile terminal; b) a voucher is created by the host server; c) the voucher is transmitted to the operator of the mobile communication network or to a service provider; and d) the operator of the mobile communication network or the service provider, on the basis of the voucher, debits communication costs for data connections or call connections of the mobile terminal that were registered during the time period indicated in the voucher, at least in part to an account assigned to the identifier of the host server.

A system for multiple network usage tracking, the system having a policy management platform having one or more processors able to receive and to calculate account usage data associated with an account profile, the policy management platform arranged externally from a network of at least one wireless carrier.