A cellular traffic monitoring system includes: a Traffic Detection Function (TDF) module to monitor cellular traffic associated with a cellular subscriber device, and to generate application detection output indicative of an application used by the cellular subscriber device; an application-based charging module to generate, based on the application detection output of said TDF module, application-based charging data related to said cellular subscriber device; a Policy Charging and Enforcement Function (PCEF) module to enforce one or more charging rules that are Service Data Flow (SDF) based and are related to said cellular subscriber device; an SDF-based charging module to generate SDF-based charging data related to said cellular subscriber device; and a charging correlator module to identify a potential over-charging due to an overlap between the application-based charging data and the SDF-based charging data.

A network element configured to support charging for a service in a network accesses policy rules defining a rating group to be used for offline charging. While a protocol data unit (PDU) session for user equipment is being established in the network, the network element sends, to a charging function configured to send charging data records related to service usage to a billing domain, a charging data request that establishes offline charging for the PDU session and indicates the rating group. The network element also receives, from the charging function, a charging data response including one or more triggers and thresholds for the rating group for the offline charging.

One aspect provides a method performed by a network node implementing a network function repository function in a core network. A registration request message to register a CHF in a repository of network functions is received, the registration request message includes an indication of one or more sets of charging characteristics supported by the CHF and addressing information to reach the CHF. Each CHF in the repository is registered. A discovery request message including one or more search parameters for identifying a CHF, including at least an indication of a set of charging characteristics to be applied for the packet data connection is received. A CHF that supports the indicated set of charging characteristics is identified based on the one or more search parameters. A discovery response message comprising the addressing information to reach the identified CHF is transmitted.

A charging function (CHF) receives, from a policy control function (PCF), a first request for charging policy information for a packet data unit (PDU) session of a wireless device. The charging policy information is determined for the PDU session of the wireless device. The charging policy information indicates a charging method comprising one or more of: online charging; offline charging; and converged charging. A message comprising the charging policy information is sent to the PCF. The CHF receives from a session management function (SMF), a second request to establish a charging session. The second request comprises the charging method. A confirmation for the charging method is sent to the SMF.

Example charging methods and apparatus are described. One example method includes sending a service resource create request to a charging system by a charging trigger apparatus. The charging trigger apparatus receives a service resource create response sent by the charging system. The service resource create request is used to request the charging system to create a service resource corresponding to a service in a session. The session is used to provide a data connection service to user equipment. The service resource is used to manage requesting for a quota for the service in the session and/or manage reporting of usage information of the service in the session. The service resource create response includes a first resource identifier, and the first resource identifier is used to identify the service resource that corresponds to the service in the session and that is created by the charging system.

A PCF receives from an SMF, a policy establishment request message requesting a charging control rule for a PDU session of a wireless device. In response to the policy establishment request message, the PCF sends to a CHF a charging policy request message requesting charging policy information for the PDU session. The PCF receives from the CHF a charging policy response message. The charging policy response message comprises the charging policy information. The charging policy information comprises a first charging method. Based on the charging policy information, the PCF determines a charging control rule for the PDU session. The PCF sends to the SMF a policy establishment response message comprising the charging control rule. The SMF enforces the charging control rule.

A first network device may receive a protocol data unit (PDU) session establishment or modification request, and may perform one or more actions based on the PDU session establishment or modification request. The first network device may receive, based on performing the one or more actions, a first message indicating that the PDU session is authenticated and authorized, and may select a second network device associated with establishing or modifying a management policy for the PDU session. The first network device may receive, from the second network device, a second message indicating whether to wait for receipt of a charging data response, to a charging data request, before interacting with a third network device, and may provide the charging data request to a fourth network device while interacting with the third network device when the second message indicates not to wait for receipt of the charging data response.

Various aspects of the subject technology relate to completing a payment over a video call. A method includes initiating, a video call between a user and a vendor, the user and the vendor having a scheduled appointment comprising a specified duration of time. The method also includes directing the user to the video call through video call software. The method also includes receiving, from the video call software, a notification that the video call ended, the notification comprising video call metadata. The method also includes calculating, through an online marketplace, a total cost of the scheduled appointment based at least on the video call metadata and marketplace data. The method also includes generating, through the online marketplace, an invoice based on the total cost. The method also includes receiving payment information from the user regarding the invoice. According to aspects, the method includes a flash-to-pay option for payment.

A service data transmission method and a device are disclosed, to resolve a problem in the prior art that a network side cannot provide targeted services for different types of NB-IoT services. The method includes: determining, by an access network device, first information of service data to be sent by a terminal, where the first information includes at least one of a service type and a priority; then receiving, by the access network device, the service data sent by the terminal by using a NAS signaling message; and sending, by the access network device, the service data and the first information to a gateway, so that the gateway charges the service data based on the first information after receiving the service data and the first information.

A charging method applied to a network architecture in which network control and data flow forwarding are separated. The method includes receiving, by a control plane (CP) entity, a charging rule delivered by a policy and charging rules function PCRF entity, generating, by the CP, a user plane UP entity reporting policy based on the charging rule, requesting, by the CP from an online charging system OCS, a quota required by a rating group in the charging rule, receiving, by the CP, a quota delivered by the OCS, and generating UP quota information based on the quota; and delivering, by the CP, the generated UP reporting policy and the generated UP quota information to the UP.